Avatar High
by MarisolM
Summary: As part of his Avatar training, Aang is sent to another school to "experience the true meaning of the human spirit"... and he stumbles upon some familiar characters! Lots of shipping fluff. FINISHED!
1. News

"You wanted to see me, Monk Gyatso?"

Aang nervously poked his head into the elderly Monk's office, wondering what new piece of advice he'd be receiving from the man who'd been his mentor since the day he was born.

He always seemed to carry that edge of unpredictability in him, despite his old age and his savored traditions.

The Monk sat in his treasured meditative sitting style on an oriental red pillow, with his back facing the boy as he boldly stepped into the dim orange room to talk to him. By his calm state, he seemed to be overlooking the outer sunrise of the Southern Air Temple through the wide window in his office.

"Yes, Aang." Gyatso replied without moving a single muscle except his jaw. "Please, take a pillow and come sit over here. We need to have a talk."

The boy raised an eyebrow. Part of him was still tired from the early wake-up call, and the other part of him wondered if he was in serious trouble for something. _Did Gyatso find out about the huckleberry pies I accidentally burned in the oven? _Aang thought with a panic.

_I thought I'd fed them to Appa! _

"Calm down, Aang... you're not in trouble for anything," Gyatso added in monotone after feeling the boy's worrisome energy from across the room, and Aang smiled with a relief and ran over to grab a pillow to join his elderly mentor in meditation.

His recently-made arrow tattoos still ached slightly, as he wiped off a little bit of sweat that was glistening from his scalp. Aang had never felt more accomplished before, finally knowing how to bend natural air to the level of a young apprentice... but the ability was no excuse for jumping and running with sheer adrenaline like any other boy his age. Quietly, he wondered what this early meeting was about as he scrunched his eyes closed to imagine the view of the incoming morning at the Temple without actually _seeing _it. Monk Gyatso always made the task look so easy.

"Do you remember Avatar Roku? A man who visited the Southern Air Temple a few years ago?" Gyatso asked the boy, after a few quiet minutes of reflection.

"Yeah!" Aang responded happily, instantly opening his eyes. "He gave all the kids presents... some strange-looking toys... I think they were paddles, with little rubber balls attached to them?... but he seemed nice. Is he coming to visit us again?"

"Haha, no Aang, I'm afraid not." Gyatso said amusingly opened his eyes, which brought the boy's facial expression to a downcast sigh. "But I am delighted to say that you will be seeing him again very soon."

"Soon?" The boy was not quite sure how feel about that, whether it was serious or for good old-fashioned fun. "Am I going to be mentored by him too?"

"In a way, yes... You see, Avatar Roku is the founding principal of the Praying Mantis High School not far from our Temple, and he has suggested that I let you experience his most beloved project first-hand. The other Monks and I have been discussing this for quite some time, and we've all agreed that as the next Avatar-in-training... you should spend a year experiencing a normal life with other young pupils in a regular school setting. It will be wise to do this before you continue your connection with the spirit world, here."

Aang let a small gulp go down in his throat, suddenly feeling like a piece of huckleberry pie had been lodged in it, and his skin began to sprout goosebumps. He didn't understand it... he greatly respected Avatar Roku, and Monk Gyatso... but the idea of leaving his home for more than a day seemed unheard of to him.

He wondered if this was another one of Monk Gyatso's silly tricks.

"You mean... I'm going to be trained _outside_ the Southern Air Temple?" Aang asked, thinking that there was mistake in the Monk's newsbreak.

"Only for a year, my boy; it won't be that long." The man kept his monotone voice consistent, hoping to not overwhelm Aang with the personal excitement he had for him. "And believe me, this will give you a greater understanding of the human spirit than anyone can ever teach you."

Aang sat still in a meditative pose, but he looked out through the window as the sky was gradually turning from dark blue to a more vibrant, violet shade. He couldn't help but feel a certain emptiness in him getting larger and larger, as if his only home was already becoming distant.

"You will still be living here with us, of course," Monk Gyatso added with a spark of optimism in his voice. "The difference is that you'll be interacting with new pupils during the day."

This news seemed to bring a hopeful smile back into Aang's face, but numerous other questions were still flowing in his mind. It was like he didn't want to get rid of his old life. He refused to.

"But... but none of the other kids are coming with me?"

The boy frowned then, knowing that when Monk Gyatso took too long to answer a question, it would never be in his own favor.

"Your new surroundings may be frightening at the beginning, Aang," the Monk calmly explained to him through closed eyes, "but I promise you, you will get used to them. And as the future Avatar, you will need to learn to survive on your own... sometimes without the comfort of those you already know."

"What about Appa?" Aang wondered out loud, hoping that his loving bison would be the exception. "And the Air Dodgeball tournaments? We're going to beat the Northerners this year... I can _taste it..._"

"Appa will drop you off and pick you up every day for school." Gyatso replied with his continued sense of ease. "As for your games, I'm afraid the team will need to learn to survive without you this year."

"WHAT???"

The boy's eyes were on the verge of popping out of his skull. Nothing... absolutely nothing could overlap Air Dodgeball, no matter how great of a school this was.

"You will be _fine_, Aang; and besides... there are plenty of other activities that you will discover during your year of study abroad. I sometimes wish I were in your shoes, so I could've tried my hand with _mus-ic-al the-a-tre._"

"What's a _the-a-tre_?" Aang asked with a discomforting face, thinking that the word sounded like an ancient ritual of torture.

"Oh, you will understand when you get there." Gyatso responded lightly, letting the speculation rub onto Aang. "So... is the Avatar-in-training feeling alright about this assignment?"

Aang felt his shoulders almost double in the weight, trying to imagine this upcoming year as something completely out of the ordinary. He really liked being in the Temple, and wasn't sure if he could take the dangers of unpredictability in such a calm state. But then again, he _was _training to be the Avatar, and adaptability was something that he would have to face for the rest of his life. It was his destiny to understand the world in order to protect it, after all.

As he looked outside, the boy noticed how the skies were turning into a vibrant pink, uncovering the tiny bright sun from its blanket.

"I don't know..." Aang began, trying to articulate his thoughts the best way he could. "I know I'm going to miss being with everybody... my friends... but are you sure I can't bring _anyone _else with me?"

Monk Gyatso chuckled. "I'm afraid not, Aang."

"Not even Momo?" Aang asked quickly, almost like reflex.

"Hmm...I don't see why you shouldn't bring a pet with you, to keep you company... and possibly out of trouble?" Monk Gyatso gave an teasing grin of suspicion, but continued. "I'll let you take him for now, but if Avatar Roku insists otherwise, you will need to oblige. Is that a deal?"

With the thought that his friendly winged lemur would be joining him on this great adventure, the young boy's eyes glowed in its natural silver shade.

"Yes, sir, Monk Gyatso!"

"And Hail, for the Avatar." Monk Gyatso opened his eyes out of the meditation mode with a smile, and turned his head to look at the young boy. "Now run along and start packing your things, and don't forget to say your Goodbyes."

Aang flinched, glancing as if he'd missed something from the discussion.

"Huh? But... wait, when exactly do I leave?"

At that question, Monk Gyatso looked over at the window, admiring the light pinks and oranges that were appearing across the sky, with the sun slowly peeking itself out more and more from the edge.

"Well, the Praying Mantis school day commences when the sun has fully risen from the shadows... so I believe you have less than an hour."

Aang's jaw instantly fell, and without saying a word, the boy picked himself up and practically dashed out the door without so much as a "_today?_" or "are you _SERIOUS!?" _to his mentor. Monk Gyatso watched as the door flung open with speed and agility from a young pupil's stress-level... and as the boy's footsteps sounded along the outer corridor, the Monk made another small laugh.

His unpredictability was indeed golden.

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**NOTE**: This is a slightly different Avatar concept than the one in the TV series. Yes, Gyatso and Roku are alive and Aang's the Avatar-in-Training... so a couple of time issues need to be ignored... like pretending the Fire Nation War never occured, and all the kids just happen to go to the same school together at the same time. Yes, all the characters with respective bending elements still have those powers, but with less extremity. I wanted to concentrate on their high school personalities, and how they would be if they interacted with one another in the same place. Happy reading! --MM


	2. Oak Tree

"Momo, I... I don't feel so good..."

Aang placed a hand over his grumbling stomach, having missed breakfast that day from all the last-minute packing and the quick air dodgeball moves he'd decided take part in that morning with his friends, before he said goodbye to them. He wasn't sure if his empty stomach was causing the nauseousness to happen... or if it was the large crowd of kids that were mingling outside of the Praying Mantis High School courtyards, waiting for the first gong to sound.

Appa was already soaring out into the distant sky, back to the Southern Air Temple, and the boy turned back to glance over at his friend in the sky, wondering if this adventure must have been a mistake. But the boy held his breath and returned his gaze to the crowd ahead of him, involuntarily clutching the strap of his improvised schoolbag (made from flying bison sheds) with one hand, and continuing to rub his stomach with his other hand.

He couldn't find a single person his age with arrow tattoos in the crowd, and that seemed to assure him just how _different_ this school was going to be, and gulped nervously.

Suddenly, the winged lemur made a chirping sound at Aang's side, propped securely on his left shoulder, and Aang turned his head slightly to look at him. He wasn't sure if the lemur had really understood him then, but the creature looked him square in the eye, scrunched his nose, and managed to nuzzle Aang in the left ear.

The boy couldn't help but laugh from the tickling sensation, and gave Momo a pat on the head.

"Thanks, buddy." It seemed to make him more comfortable about the situation, and those little butterflies in his stomach were slowly disappearing. "Well? Ready for the first day of school?"

Aang stood his ground and clutched his schoolbag one last time, like a conquering hero.

Laughter and chatter gradually enveloped the boy's ears as he walked closer and closer into the crowd of kids. It was like everything from the Gothic stone building of the school, to the trees that established its courtyards, to the large outdoor playing field in the distance (with some strange fork-like polls) was being captured solely by a pair of silver eyes. Aang practically forgot to blink from the fascination of it all.

Ironic really, how despite the boy's extreme nervousness about standing out in the crowd... none of the kids seemed to notice him. Aang looked around the clusters of kids who were sitting, standing, leaning against the trees all chatting, and they all seemed to preoccupied to spot a new kid with his winged lemur on his shoulder.

The boy didn't know whether to be relieved, or concerned about this. There were too many kids to approach... too many kids to talk to! And an Airbender's philosophy was to not make presumptuous judgements on people, regardless of how they looked at you the first time.

_Always approach a new face with countless possibilities, and with a clean slate, _Monk Gyatso always used to tell the boy. _A friend may come in the most unexpected of places._

Aang felt his face flush with nervousness and stress as he looked from one area of the of the courtyard to another. Thanks, Monk Gyatso... he thought... but that's not really _helping _the situation!

But just as he was recalling another Airbender's philosophy (_An airbender does not panic, but re-evaluates)_... there was a sudden clashing sound of two swords, coming from the corner of Aang's eye. He looked over and saw that a group of kids were watching him with interest from under the shade of an oak tree, and that the metallic sound had come from a young man's pair of curved swords... a weapon that Aang had never seen before.

The boy raised his eyebrows, noting that the five pairs of eyes from the oak tree had seemed to take an interest in this new kid. Aang remained where he stood, trying really hard not to shake with nervousness as the boy with the twin swords approached him wryly.

Aang'll never forget that keen, mischievous demeanor that came with the boy's dark eyes... it was as if he were studying a new species.

"Uh... mm... HI! I'm Aang!" came all too cheerful greeting from the airbender. Aang felt his cheeks flush as he noticed how he'd managed to smile and extend his hand out to the dark-looking young man almost impulsively.

The stranger raised an eyebrow and didn't say a word, but Aang could hear the other kids from the oak tree start laughing and snickering behind him. Aang's smile was slowly deteriorating, but the young man threw a look over at his friends in annoyance. In an instant, the snickering faded away, but Aang wasn't sure how to take that.

"You new here, or something?" Came the slightly harsh voice, as he turned back to deal with Aang. The young man seemed to ignore that extended hand that the boy was nervously holding out, and just stared at him intriguingly.

Quickly, Aang exchanged looks with Momo at his shoulder, who didn't really seem to care less.

"Um... yeah. I'm--" The boy was about to say his name for the second time, but stopped himself in the nick of time. " I'm from the Southern Air Temple."

"Really?" That voice had an edge of sarcasm, but as much as it was tempting, Aang refused to make rash judgements after only those few seconds of dialogue. "Well that's a place we don't hear about much."

"Oh... well it's a great place," Aang massaged the back of his neck, trying to hold the conversation positively, "I've been living there since I was a baby... and the monks teach us how to master airbending... and we drink organic rice milk for breakfast..."

Aang mentally slapped himself in the face. _Rice milk? My first impression as a new kid, and all I can talk about is RICE MILK?_

"Hmm..." The young man arched an eyebrow at the boy's statement, but rather than turning away with a cold shoulder as Aang had predicted... he made an edgy grin and placed a rough hand on the boy's right shoulder. The hand came down so suddenly, Momo nearly jumped and squeaked from the left one. "Well, let me be the _first_ to introduce you to Praying Mantis High."

Aang widened his eyes, flabbergasted.

"I'm Jet," the young man pointed a hitchhiker's thumb to himself, then gestured back to acknowledge the other kids under the oak tree. "And this is my crew. Come on, I'll introduce you."

Jet's hand was still clamped on the boy's shoulder, and it seemed to pull him forward, to follow along with what he was saying.

"Um... sure, okay..." Aang smiled hesitantly, trying to keep himself in that positive mood to avoid the frightening thoughts in his mind.

As he looked at the other kids, shaded from the oak tree, they didn't at all seem to be the friendliest of faces, but Jet brought the new kid reluctantly into the shade.

"That's Pipsqueak... Longshot... the Duke – my little brother - too young for this place, but he still hangs out with us before school... and that's Smellerbee."

Jet pointed at each of the kids respectively, but none of the kids smiled, waved, or even seemed to breathe as they were being introduced to this kid. The Duke eyes were intriguingly entertained by the winged lemur propped on Aang's shoulder loyally, but everyone else's faces were expressionless, and their eyes were so dangerously narrow that Aang thought he was being forced into a staring contest.

After a brief pause, the girl named Smellerbee made the first remark.

"There's a giant arrow on your forehead," she said flatly.

Aang blinked, but before he could say anything in response, the giant gong bellowed from the school tower, and all the kids' heads turned to the Gothic building.

In a matter of seconds, all the kids in the courtyard seemed to stop their chatter and gather their things, erupting into a slow stampede of scurrying feet into the school's entrance.

The boy remained under the oak tree, still taking in that loud noise he had never had to respond to before. Jet was picking up his brown schoolbag and pushed Aang playfully to move forward.

"Listen...Aang, right? The first gong means that classes are starting, and if you hear the gong the second time, you're late for your first class... got it?"

"Uh... uh huh." Aang replied, taking note of that mentally in his mind. "But... _I don't know what my first class is!_"

"No sweat," Jet was speed-walking to the school entrance among the crowd of kids, and Aang followed a few steps behind. "All you have to do is go to the main office and talk to the vice principal. Don't worry, he's a great guy... trust me, I know him too well."

"Wait!" Aang tried to shout back to Jet, as he was being lost among the many faces of kids near the large wooden entrance doors. Momo was too overwhelmed by the movement of kids, he nervously climbed onto Aang's head and held on tightly.

"Who's the vice principal?!" Aang asked, trying to shoo Momo's arms out from blocking his vision. Jet turned back from a distance to respond to the boy.

"His name is Zhao. _Vice Principal Zhao_!"

And at that, Jet's voice faded from inside the school, leave Aang behind to fend for himself with the many other kids that were sandwiching him, pushing him into the Praying Mantis highschool.

The loud voices of kids, the pushing and shoving to get into the classrooms, and Momo clinging onto dear life from atop of Aang's head was enough to make the boy realize that school was about to be in session... whether he was ready for it or not.


	3. Katara

"Whoa! What's with the arrow?...a- and the _monkey?_"

The tall boy pointed a shaking finger at Momo still propped on Aang's shoulder, terrified that this little creature might attach him.

He was the scrawniest-looking young man Aang had ever seen, and yet when this kid clumsily managed to run into the airbender (spilling all of his papers like confetti) it was like he had never seen a winged lemur in his lifetime. That kid's eyes were bulging.

"Excuse me...um... Sir," Aang had been practically out of breath as the horde of students entering the school had finally managed to disperse to their respective lockers, and he wasn't ready to explain the arrow thing just yet. "I need to talk to Vice Principal Zoo."

"You mean _Zhao?_" He didn't seem to give his stupefied look a rest, oddly enough.

"Yeah, that's the one!" Aang replied excitedly. "Can you tell where the office is?"

"Uh... yeah..." The kid had crouched down to pick up his papers, wondering who or _what _this new kid was... and why he was excited to meet the deadliest of Vice Principals. Aang's cheeky grin didn't leave his face. "...just let me pick these up for a sec."

"Oh, don't worry, let me help!" the young boy felt privileged to try his newest airbending routine on the first day of school... summoning a gust of the entrance to hit all the papers on the ground.

Even before the tall kid could react, or before the kids around them could turn to see... all the papers were picked up in a small spiraling vortex of air. Aang smiled to himself as the papers stacked themselves neatly onto his free hand to give to the kid, but the scrawny guy's eyes went back into bulging mode.

"Are you _CRAZY?_" came the high-pitched remark, and Aang's smile disappeared completely.

"What?" the young boy's cheeks flushed with confusion. "I was just trying to--"

"_You can't BEND inside the school!" _The tall kid's face looked like it was going melt right off of him, with the all the heat Aang could sense from it. He was almost sure he saw smoke coming from his ears.

As the young man's face flushed a deeper and deeper red, he shakingly pointed over to a sign at a nearby wall, his threatening eyes still fixed on Aang. The sign couldn't have been more clear: _NO BENDING ALLOWED INSIDE SCHOOL PROPERTY_.

"I'm... I'm sorry?" Aang said meekly to the boy, mentally telling himself he would tattoo that rule on his arm, if it meant that this kid would stop looking at him menacingly. Other kids were beginning to stare at the pair, and Aang closed his eyes with one last attempt. "I'm sorry!"

Perhaps if he concentrated really hard, his Avatar abilities would make him teleport back to the Southern Air Temple? It was all that Aang could think about at that moment, with his eyes closed and Momo whimpering with concern for him at his shoulder. As he heard the murmuring of kids' voices begin to take shape in his ears, one voice did seem to stand out from the others.

"Jeez, Sokka. Look, you're _scaring_ the poor kid."

It was a girl, and she sounded really irritated as the voice got closer to the airbender's ears.

"Out of my way..." and Aang felt a slight tug on his sleeve by an soft hand, opening his eyes again. What greeted his vision then was nothing more than the largest, most beautiful pair of eyes the young boy had ever seen. He felt his limbs go numb, and almost forgot how to breathe. It took him long to remember that he wasn't soaring through the clear blue sky that those eyes reminded him of. They were brilliantly warm in its greeting, in that small second that passed.

"Is everything alright?" the girl's mouth moved, also becoming a frame of loveliness to Aang.

The boy was trembling, too taken aback for words to come out of his own mouth, and the best thing he could do was nod incessantly.

"Awesome," the girl patted Aang on the back and took the papers from his hand, shoving them rudely onto Sokka's torso, ignorant to see if he caught them all or not. "Don't pay attention to my brother; he acts like he's Principal Roku's commissioner or something... but he's just jealous because he IS. NOT. A. BENDER"

As the girl spoke those last few words with loud emphasis, the boy named Sokka scoffed off with his papers into a far off classroom. Aang did not even catch every word she said, because his ears were too busy noting that musical giggle she had made as an afterthought.

"So where do you have to go?"

"Go?" Aang blinked, saddened that a separation between him and this girl had to occur so suddenly. "Uh... I have to get to the main office... but I'm not so sure I--"

"Not a problem, it's right this way. Here, I'll take you..." The girl seemed kind enough to make the most unnecessary task, since she pulled his hand to get going, and Aang smiled dreamily. She could've been leading him to the edge of a cliff and he wouldn't have had a care in the world. Her voice was just so soothing to listen to.

"I'm Katara, by the way, and have _no relation _to that idiot back there," she said with a giggle, then paused as a cue for the boy to introduce himself.

He took a deep breath, "I'm... I'm Aang." It seemed to come out easily enough, and he smiled over to Momo on his shoulder, patting his pet on the claw. "And this is Momo, my ling-ed we-mur."

Suddenly the whole world seemed to stop spinning, and Aang's eyes blinked. _Did he really just say that? _The boy's cheeks practically flushed themselves into a pink balloon then, and hearing the girl giggle for the third time, he mentally smacked himself on the forehead with stupidity.

"Aw, well that's the cutest _ling-ed we-mur_ I've ever seen," Katara replied with much sincerity and kindness, petting Momo on the head. As much as it felt childish and humiliating, Aang was just glad that the girl didn't just walk away.

It seemed that all of a sudden the hallways were becoming less noisy and less overwhelming to the boy, watching this lovely girl with hair loops walk beside him.

"What's with the blue arrow?" The girl then asked, and Aang could vaguely catch the similarity to her and Sokka's voice. However, the boy was determined to answer that questions once and for all... and with absolutely _no foolishness._

"It is the one of the greatest achievements a young airbender can ever receive," Aang heard himself say, letting his walking turn into a proud strut, "and I was actually the youngest in my Temple to get it!"

"Really?" Katara's voice sounded slightly intrigued to the young boy.

"MmHmm," the boy said with determination, letting his chest rise out a bit with his blue arrow pride. "My last test was to create a new airbending maneuver of my own... and I created the super-spinning Air Scooter of... of _Terror!"_

Aang looked over at the girl, wondering if she was still fascinated by that last-minute name he gave to his trademark scooter, but her eyes weren't bulging or anything. They seemed to be on the edge of indifference... and Aang had to think fast...

"HEY! Want me to show you how it looks?" and the boy was beginning to move his arms around in that spiral manner, but the girl's eyes rose and she grabbed his arms firmly... keeping them down before any wind would pick up."

"No! Aang, you can't... It's a rule, remember?" Katara's voice meant well, but deep down Aang felt that he had lost the chance to impress the girl of his dreams.

"Anyway, the main office is right over there at the corner of the hallway," the girl gestured with a hand in front of her, "I'm sorry but I have to get to class... Mr. Jeong Jeong gets real nasty with the latecomers... it was nice meeting you, Aang! And Momo."

She gave a little affectionate ear-scratch to the winged lemur before heading off the opposite direction, along with a few other kids her own age. That was the only time that Aang could recall he had wished he were a winged lemur... and with one jealous glance at Momo, the boy scurried down the hallway to get to the principal's office before the second gong.

"I'm _here! I'm SAFE!_" the boy slid happily inside the doorway of the main office just as the second gong from the school bellowed over his head.

As he regained himself, he noticed that the main office was composed of two elderly twin secretaries seated across from each other, who were both writing illegibly onto scrolls with sloppy ink pens. The only thing he could tell apart from them was that one woman had a splotch of ink on her pink blouse, whereas the other did not.

The two old women looked as quiet, yet as cheerful as ever when the boy came in.

"And who might _you _be?" The one on the right asked Aang.

"Um... I'm Aang," the boy nervously took another step into the office, trying hard to look at the woman in the eye. He _had _to get Katara out of his mind, even if it was for a second! "I'm the Avatar-in-Training, from the Southern Air Temple? Um... I have to talk to Vice Principal Zoo– _Zhao!_"

Another mental slap from the airbender. All of a sudden, he could foretell a few more were in store for him for that day.

The two women looked at each other for a few seconds, while Aang studied their desk name plates with interest. Apparently, one of the secretaries' names was Lo, and the other was Li. Lo was the one with the ink splotch on her blouse, and she spoke up this time.

"Oh, I'm afraid that Vice Principal Zhao is with another student at the moment... but I'm sure that if you wait, he would gladly be of service to you!" Lo smiled, with an edge of eeriness.

"And while you're waiting, you can fill out these _student registration forms!_" Li's voice added just as happily, moving closer to Aang's presence and letting a huge stack of papers thud loudly in front of him.

"Welcome to Praying Mantis!" the two women said together in unison, before returning back to their unspecified writing.

With a slight groan coming from his stomach, the boy looked at the thick file of papers and in turn, took out an ink pen from his bag to begin the tedious registration process.

As he was picking up the stack of papers to move comfortably over to a chair, there was another office that stood across from the Vice Principal's office that had laughter and chatter coming from behind it's slightly open door. The sign at the door read: _Mr. IROH, School Counselor._

Suddenly, that door swung open completely, and the laughter took form of an old, bulky man with a gray beard. A young girl with round brown eyes, clutching a notebook to her frame appeared from behind him.

"Thanks for the tea and the interview, Mr. Iroh; it's going to be great for the school paper!"

Mr. Iroh laughed, holding the door open as the girl left his office. "Anytime, On Ji. But are you _sure_ you don't want to interview our janitor instead? He goes _crazy _every time the kids steal his cabbages..."

Aang felt a little out of place, not really knowing who these two people were talking about, and as he looked over at Lo and Li (both blushing at the sight of Mr.Iroh) the boy thought it best to just concentrate on his registration forms without looking up.

He heard Mr.Iroh and the girl named On Ji share another small laugh, and the girl replied with "Maybe for the next issue, Mr. Iroh. Thanks again!"

"Alright, On Ji, take care!" Mr. Iroh waved as the young girl left the room, and Aang was too preoccupied to realize that right before she left... On Ji noticed the boy with the blue arrow sitting with a stack of registration papers, and a small blush had involuntarily appeared to her cheeks.

The airbender knew that this was going to be dreadfully long when the first question on the form asked was... _What was your great grandmother's name?_

How was he supposed to fit "I never met my great grandmother because male airbenders and female airbenders are trained in separate temples, it's an airbender's tradition to be raised from birth by monks and nuns, and they don't get to see their real parents until they turn eighteen years old or become full airbending masters"... into _one tiny little line!?_

There were moments when the loud, angry voices coming in from the room next too him were impossible to block out, and Aang deliberately leaned his head closer to the door to see if he could make out what the argument was about.

"But I _wasn't causing a threat to anyone, Zhao, and you KNOW it!"_

"For the seven-hundreth time, it's _Vice Principal Zhao, _your highness. And you know well enough by now that three Fire-Bending violations in one week lead to a full Saturday detention."

"That can't be a Fire-Bending violation... I was just lighting some... I was _just trying to surprise my girlfriend for our anniversary _with some--"

"Oh, how sentimental you are, Zuko. But that still involved the summoning of fire from your chi _inside school property_, and having it be the third violation for you this week..."

Aang could not make out the end of that sentence, but as the door burst open with the intense fury and rage from a growling student... Momo leaping off of Aang's shoulder onto another chair... the boy no longer felt that was as important.

The young man who stormed out of that office was no different than a wild moose lion on hind legs... at least to the airbender's mind. The student growled at particularly nothing as he stood there in the center of the office, giving the twin secretaries a terrorized look (probably waiting for Mr.Iroh to comfort them). Mr. Iroh did not move a muscle, strangely, at this reaction towards the young man.

He remained stern, searching for those pair of raging yellow eyes that were hidden in the wisps of the young man's brown hair.

"Zuko, what have I told you about controlling that temper of yours? How do you expect the people of the Fire Nation to respect a member of the royal family, if he does not respect _others?_"

Aang curiously looked up to the student's brooding face for one moment, and as the kid reluctantly turned his head away from the school counselor... the airbender saw the most remarkable yet disturbing-looking scar he had ever seen. _Was it a scar?_ It had to be... it couldn't have been a tattoo...

"Excuse me, but... who are you?" A voice then drilled into the boy's ears. "And... what's with the arrow on your head?"

That rough, commanding voice was the Vice Principal Zhao, who had finally managed to come out of the office after a brooding student had reluctantly left. He was looked over at the young airbender almost surprised and disgusted at the same time. The boy could tell that by the way Zhao scrunched his eyebrows at the blue arrow, and at Momo sitting right next to him... this was not going to be the most pleasant of Vice Principal meetings.

"You can take him in, Zhao," Mr.Iroh exclaimed almost as if he were studying the Vice Principal's thoughts from across the room, "I can talk to my nephew here, don't worry."

Mr. Iroh gave a speculative, but supportive glance over at the boy who was still drenched with registration forms, and the vice principal rolled his eyes and glared at the new student, opening his door entirely to let him in. Aang couldn't decide if the student named Zuko or the vice principal was the most reluctant of the two, and as the boy stacked his papers onto his chair and got up to be escorted into the Vice Principal's room... Katara's laughter kept echoing in his ears.

Maybe that was all he needed to get through this dreadful meeting with the Vice Principal Zhao.


	4. Zhao

Aang fought hard to rid himself of the butterflies in his stomach, as he approached the dark office of Vice Principal Zhao.

"Have a seat, young man," the overpowering figure said to him, in a voice that was anything but friendly. The boy noticed the sinisterly red tapestries and ancient maps that hung behind the man's desk, and how they strangely contrasted to the brightness of the rest of the place.

There was a small fireplace that stood on the right side of the office, and Aang's eyebrows thought why in the _world_ a person needed a fireplace in a school office. Was this man a firebender? And even so... didn't he just punish that other kid for firebending inside school property? Questions seemed to come at him from all directions, and in the back of his mind, Aang felt the light laughter of a girl with loops on her hair...

"So," the man named Zhao placed a rough hand on his beard to study the boy with the blue arrow, "Let me guess... our Principal, Avatar Roku invited you to attend our school this year?"

"Um..." Aang wasn't sure if this was a trick question, but he tightened his stomach to keep his voice from shaking. "Th-that's right, sir."

"_Damn it..._" Zhao muttered under his breath, as if the boy had disappeared from the room. "Why doesn't he _tell me _these things?"

He slammed an enraged fist down on his desk, and Aang flinched to the edge of his seat, utterly terrified. Suddenly, the Vice Principal realized who he had been cursing to, and regained himself in his professionalism... but his eyes still carried a certain flame of disgust.

"Alright, fine then," the man exclaimed, more to the air in front of him rather than to Aang. "If he's going to try to make my life a living hell, then so be it..."

Aang's eyebrows arched confusingly, trying to make sense out of what the Vice Principal was exclaiming to him. By the look of his scrunching, purple face... it seemed that this man was planning to start a war!

"...Ha! Let him bring _ten thousand_ airbenders to this school, and I'll show him who can run this school..."

Vice Principal Zhao had his nails clamping the very delicate wood of his desk, staring at the boy menacingly as if he were going to eat him alive.

"Sir?" Aang attempted, his knees shaking with fear. "I– I _promise _that I won't be any trouble... Monk Gyatso would _kill _me if I made a bad impression on--"

"Monk Gyatso?" The man caught the name like a small fish to a serpent. "...from the Southern Air Temple?"

"Yes, sir. He's my mentor," the boy spilled as much information as he could, hoping that the man would stop sneering at him.

Strangely, the man did not seem to be unhappy with this answer, and Zhao raised himself back to his side of the desk, with a thoughtful-yet-skeptical glance to the boy.

"Of course..." Zhao wondered out loud, "so you're not just another airbender, then. You're the _avatar in training..._"

Aang nodded nervously, taking hold of one of his arms for warmth in that cold stare. His mind went back to those pretty blue eyes that had studied him not so long ago...

"Well, that is something we'll _both _have to keep in mind then, won't we? Now that you're matriculating into a regular educational institution..." Zhao began to put some random papers together on his desk, sitting himself down as if anew, and looking at the boy with dangerous grin.

"I'll let you know right now, _Mr. Avatar_, that I take pride in the culture of my school... and being the medium to the spiritual world _does not _mean that the rules don't apply to you as well..."

Zhao took a small, thick pamplet from his drawer and practically tossed it over his desk for the boy to catch clumsily.

"I suggest you start reading the Praying Mantis Code of Conduct the _second_ you are dismissed from my office. _Is that clear?_"

"Y-yes, sir!" Aang abided, holding that pamphlet to his chest as if his life depended on it.

Just then, as if the Vice Principal had been warming himself up for this during the entire meeting... his voice broke into a long, tireless recitation of certain regulations that Aang devastatingly tried to catch with his ears. The man got up and walked in a slow pace behind his desk, while his firm voice kept talking.

"You will have six periods of class each day, consisting of Mathematics, History, Science, Physical Education, Literature, Cultural Enrichment... as well as one elective, one study hall, and one half hour for Lunch. You may provide your own lunch if you so wish, since I'm well aware that airbenders are under a strict, regulated diet. How very convenient..."

Aang took that comment quite personally and dared to frown a little, but the man dismissed it and continued to speak once again...

"There is _no running _along the school hallways, _no straw-chewing_ during passing periods, absolutely _no public displays _of affection, you must _always_ arrive to your classes before the second gong, pets are _not allowed_ on school property--"

"What?" Aang struggled to question that rule, thinking about Momo.

"You heard me correctly, Mr. Avatar" the man replied, with a hint of sarcasm.

"But... but Momo's my friend..." the boy was desperate, hugging that pamphlet with all his might. "Could I please talk to Principal Roku about--"

"_Absolutely not!_" It was as if Zhao's life purpose had ultimately been threatenedor insulted by hearing those words, and Aang held his breath nervously, not daring to finish his question.

"I'm the one who sets the ground rules here, young man," Zhao stated in a hiss. "Don't even _think _about challenging them."

"Then... then would it be okay if he stayed outside the school? Could I see him during lunch?"

The man winced and rolled his eyes at the young boy, clearly trying to find way out of this regulation. He was utterly getting tired of this ridiculous argument. "Very well."

Those words seemed to bring back a glimmer of hope in the airbender's eye, and Vice Principal Zhao could not feel more disgusted by it. He took another long breath and added more important rules to his speech, then.

"I will not allow weapons of _any kind _to enter into my school, and all lockers will go through a random checking procedure a few times throughout the year. All students will be under a _strict dress code _consisting of khaki pants, black shoes, white or black polo shirts, and long-sleeved button down shirts. They may also choose to wear their proud nation's colors: red and black for Fire, blue and white for Water, green and brown for Earth, and... oh I don't know... yellow, orange and dark gray for Air."

The boy nodded, involuntarily checking his own clothes to make sure that he was on dress code. Zhao stopped his pacing then, suddenly moving his interest towards the airbender's blue arrow on his forehead, as well as the arrows visible on his hands.

"Tattoos," the man hissed, "are strictly forbidden, and will not be seen during school hours. They are to remain concealed by a hat or a bandana for the remainder of the academic year."

Aang's eyes widened at that, moving a hand up to touch his bald head and the proud arrow that marked him as a young airbender. "But I... they're... they're a part of my _culture!_"

"Young man, that's an old excuse for me," Zhao scoffed almost with amusement. "Do you have any idea how many students would want to go off and get tattoos of their own, if I let one ridiculous airbender reveal his markings?"

The boy could believe what was happening. He wasn't allowed to airbend, or allowed to show his blue arrows... it was like all of a sudden his own proud identity could not be recognized by the school! The kids could look at his clothing colors, the way that he ate, and just see him as a strange kid from a foreign place... and Aang didn't think to positively about that.

As it turned out, the boy did not fight this regulation for very long... because he realized that all he had to do was dress up in dark khaki pants, wear a white collared shirt, eat a bowl of fruit for lunch, and maybe... just maybe, he'd fit in with the rest of the students. That's all he had to do, and they wouldn't see him as an odd airbending little kid... or even worse... a future great and powerful Avatar.

"Yes, sir, I understand," Aang complied, with a slight bit of sadness, yet determination in his voice.

Almost immediately, Vice Principal Zhao nodded his head and took out something else from one of his drawers. Slowly, he revealed a long piece of dark red fabric, which Aang assumed would become his head bandana for the day. With a slight bit of hesitation, the boy reached out and accepted it, wrapping it around his entire crown in a tight not.

"Excellent," the man concluded, and sat back in front of his desk, jotting a small note on a piece of paper. He seemed to write rather quickly, because the next thing Aang knew, he had handed the boy the paper, and there on his hand was his class schedule for the year:

_Mathematics - Mr. Pakku_

_Physical Education - Mr. Bumi_

_History - Ms. Ursa_

_LUNCH_

_Literature - Mr. Jeong Jeong_

_Study Hall_

_Science - Mr. Mechanist_

_Cultural Enrichment - Ms. Wu_

"Now..." the vice principal continued after a few seconds. "The first period is due to finish up shortly, so I'll let Miss Li escort you out to the fields for your second period class with Mr.Bumi."

"Okay, well thanks for everything, Vice Principal Zo– _Zhao. Sir!_" Aang tried to save himself from embarrassment and severe punishment, as the man looked at him square in the eye.

They both got up from their seats and walked back over to the entrance door. As Zhao opened it again, Aang felt the warm welcoming of a bright light, and he couldn't help but breathe it in.

"I advise you not to forget about the most important rule of all..." Zhao began to say as a warning.

"Oh I know..." Aang was willing to take a deep breath and make a last good impression on the Vice Principal. "...there's no bending allowed inside the school, right?"

Although the man did not seem to think highly of it, Aang was happy when he saw him nod once as a response. He looked over at Miss Li still seated at her secretary's desk and said, "please take Mr.Avatar out into the fields for his Physical Education class--"

The boy winced; he could not bear to hear himself be regarded as _Mr. Avatar_ for the entire length of the school year, and he had to say something...

"Sir?"

The man threw a harsh look at the boy, wondering how the boy dared to interrupt him.

"I... I just wanted to say..." the boy shut his eyes tightly. "Couldyoupleasejustcallme Aang?"

Zhao couldn't feel more annoyed, and yet the secretaries Lo and Li looked as delighted as ever. The man sighed and didn't say a word, but Aang knew far too well from Monk Gyatso that in a respectable figure's language, that would always mean a 'yes.'

"Miss Li... please escort _Aaaaang _over to the outdoor practice fields for his Physical Education class in a few minutes."

"My pleasure, Mr. Vice Principal!" came Li's jolly little response, and after one last disgusted look at the new student, Zhao shut his office door tightly.

Momo was still seated properly on a chair, waiting for his friend, and stared oddly at the knew bandana that Aang was sporting. The boy sighed and looked down at the Code of Conduct for reassurance of what he had to study. His first homework assignment ever.

Even if he couldn't be with him throughout the entire day, Aang was glad that he would be able to see his winged lemur at some part of the day. It made the whole concealment of his identity not seem that bad.

The boy smiled hopefully, as he couldn't wait to run into that pretty girl named Katara again.


	5. Gym Class

"Watch where you're _going_, Twinkle-Toes!"

Aang had only been standing at the rail for a few minutes, but yelped as a small fist punched him from the side. He instantly stepped back and saw a group of kids his age make their way into the open green field. The kids wore large traditional Earthbender helmets, some wore shoulder pads... and a few of them even had decorative black marks below their eyes for ferocity.

The littlest one – the one who had punched Aang out of the way – seemed so thrilled on the game ahead that he (or she?) didn't even look at the airbender for a "thank you." Those black paint marks under the eyes were just enough to tell Aang he didn't care.

Momo was up exploring the nearby trees of the playing field, and Ms. Li had just left Aang there to fend for himself, advising him to change out of his regular clothes for gym wear during those last few minutes before the class ended. The boy did as he was told, and was slowly getting accustomed to the thick shoulder pads that were practically swallowing his neck. It was a wonder that he'd been able to put on his helmet.

Mr. Bumi had been out there dismissing the first period students from an hour's long game that Aang had never heard of before: Football. From what Aang saw in those short minutes, Mr. Bumi (despite his old, crazy-looking demeanor) definitely took the sport seriously... and he did not hesitate to Earthbend the ground into a trembling obstacle for the kids now and then.

From what Aang could tell, there were only boys out playing in the field, and some of them took great advantage of their Earthbending ability to alter the ground and create scrimmaging obstacles for the others. It was amusing, really, seeing the non-Earthbenders jump through last-minute hills and dodge flying rocks in order to throw a football to a player. There was a Firebender out there, apparently, trying to ignite a hoop just as the football-holder was leaping to mid-air... but Mr. Bumi quickly extinguished the hoop with rubble and blew the whistle.

"Bad sportsmanship, Hide! If you're going to play with fire, be sure to warn your opponent first!"

The sulky firebender named Hide threw his fists down, and the football-carrier (a young man with a mustache) landed safely on the ground breathing from the sudden intense heat. It wasn't a few seconds before he regained himself and began to play again as if nothing happened.

Aang was tugging uncomfortably in his gym wear, yet he couldn't hold his excitement... _this was his Physical Education class?_ His heart was jumping joyously at the thrill.

His head turned slightly to the left as he heard voices of numerous girls talking and laughing at a smaller, more intimate field. His silver eyes instinctively searched for any sign of a girl with pretty loops in her hair... but as he realized... most of the girls were dressed out of their school colors and were wearing heavy traditional make-up!

It must've been a gym class custom or something... a handful of the girls wore these beautiful commemorations of Avatar Kyoshi... one of the boy's past lives, whom Monk Gyatso had told him about on many occasions. They were practicing what looked like a combination of martial arts and dance movements, sporting some stylish fans that turned gracefully with their wrists.

Other girls were present there too, Aang noticed, as he watched one determined-looking woman practice her Firebending dart precision against a rather obscurely pale and beautiful opponent, who would leap and throw wooden darts on the Firebender's direction. Both girls seemed equally agile in their abilities... because they both would dodge each other's offenses with such graceful precision, it was almost like a dance itself.

The pale opponent's silky black hair swept left and right, dodging those flames with the most unafraid, expressionless face.

"Loosen that grip of yours, Mai... Good, Azula! Excellent posture!" came the prone, velvety voice of a female coach that observed the duel. She was an elderly, fragile-looking woman with long white hair, whose decades of life had given her a hunched back. Nevertheless, her voice kept the girls focused in the fields.

As the girl Firebender launched flaming darts with her hands, Aang could easily spot gritted teeth of fury that came with her small grin, even from his fair distance.

Now, the boy knew he would someday be the Avatar. He understood the fact that the Avatar must someday acknowledge his greatest fears and learn to face them... but as he watched the deadly determination of that girl... Aang didn't know how he'd feel about facing a Firebender like her in a duel.

As he kept staring at the fierce woman intriguingly, Aang hoped that he never would.

Without a moment's warning, the Firebender's eyes had shifted dangerously over to Aang's direction... as if through the gut instinct that somebody had been watching her. Aang's face suddenly felt ablazed from the stern look that the girl had thrown at him for a moment, and his body seemed to freeze itself with that nervousness and fear of getting caught in the act.

Suddenly, the gong sounded again, and the boy's eyes blinked, turning his head quickly back to the football field. As the first period students were leaving the fields to get to their next class, Aang encountered a familiar face in the crowd of exhausted kids. His skinny limbs walked as if he had not had a drink of water in three days.

"Good game out there, huh?" the young man with the mustache laughed sincerely, as he patted Sokka on the shoulder for good sportsmanship. Sokka just grunted annoyingly as the young man passed and ran towards the building.

"Sokka! It's me, Aang!" the young Airbender called out happily, hoping the kid would recognize him through the thick shoulder-padding.

"Uuughhh..." came Sokka's reply, from all of those intense drills he had to go through that morning. He slowly tried to flex an arm muscle as he walked near Aang. "I think I just lost an arm..._ow!_"

Aang winced. "Is it really that bad? You all looked like you were having fun."

"_Fun!?" _Sokka gave those bulging eyes another go, but Aang was ready for them. "Maybe it's fun for Benders, but I was running for my _life _out there... jumping, getting trampled on..._ow!"_

Sokka was massaging his right arm, but it just seemed to make the pain feel worse. Aang let out a small laugh.

"Maybe he just wants you to get in shape?" Aang attempted as a funny afterthought.

Immediately, Sokka's look of pain vanished and gave the boy a strong look of annoyance.

"For your information, I happen to be in completely perfect shape..." Sokka paused and thought for a moment, looking at his biceps."Well okay... maybe I _could_ use a little more push-ups... _ow!_... but besides that--"

"Hey Sokz!" came a voice from afar. "Quit being melodramatic and come on! We're gonna be late for History..."

One of the older girls with bright colorful make-up had called out to the skinny boy, and Aang couldn't really tell which one of them had spoken up. They all had the same make-up and uniforms on, and were heading back into the Gothic school building for their second period class.

Aang did notice that whoever had called for Sokka had made that annoyed, overdramatic skinny kid show a hint of a blush on his cheeks.

"I'll be right there, Sukz!" the young man shouted back, and Aang saw one of the girls distinctly smile and lag behind the crowd of girls.

He was beginning to walk away, but Aang had to ask: "So... the girls don't play Football?"

"Nah, are you kidding?" Sokka was snorting a laugh, but stopped suddenly when he saw the stern look that Suki had thrown at him. "I mean... they can if they want to, but they're the lucky ones who get to dance and do flips, or practice their Bending... while we manly men try to _kill each other_."

Suki rolled her eyes as Sokka shouted those last words at her directions, but she smiled and shook her head in amusement.

"Oh, wait!" Sokka suddenly recalled something, and turned back to Aang.

"You're new, right? Okay, I strongly... _strongly_ advise you not to mess with Toph out there." His voice went down almost into a whisper, then. "For the love of meat, _do not _call her a little girl! And _don't_ make fun of her boyfriend!"

"Huh? Why?" Aang was about to add 'who's her boyfriend?', but he mentally was recalling the voice that called him Twinkle-Toes, and how it faintly reminded him of a young girl's.

"Let's just say she takes it personally..._Ow!_" Sokka had successfully staggered over to meet with the lovely Suki, whom had playfully smacked him over the head. He didn't say anything else (except whimper like an injured puppy) as he and the girl laughed and quickly headed to the building for their next class.

Aang turned his head back out into the playing field, and noticed how Mr. Bumi gesturing to the newcomer, to meet up with the other players in the field.

"Hah, well I see that someone will need to grow into that uniform this year..." came the wacky man's greeting to Aang. "Welcome of Praying Mantis! And please... call me Coach Bumi. _Mister_ just makes me feel old."

The Airbender just smiled with a "no problem!" and leapt over the rail to meet up with his new playmates. He was thankful that not all the grown-ups were like Vice Principal Zhao.

He ran with the heavy shoulder pads bouncing on his frame, and Aang noted the other young faces wearing helmets around him, with the mixture of smiles and stern faces that welcomed him to their friendly football game.

Aang's excitement never left him. _This is going to be just like Air Dodgeball_, he thought, _but much MUCH cooler!!!_

After he introduced himself to the group and to Coach Bumi, the man asked him, "So, Aang, are you a proud Earthbender?"

The boy's eyes widened, unprepared, realizing how tricky that question was. Well, considering he was the _Avatar-in-Training... _how could he answer that truthfully without revealing his awkward identity to a group of judgmental kids?

"Um, I... I'm trying to be the best Earthbender I _can _be..." the boy's shaken voice attempted, his mind fully establishing the fact that he was ONLY an Earthbender from now on.

"Pssh, whatever, Twinkle Toes," the smallest player commented amusingly under the shade of her helmet, breaking a certain silence. "You're toasted."

Other kids chuckled, but Aang nevertheless laughed along with them, because he remembered that girl's voice well. Yep, it was definitely Toph, and he was ready to prove how great of an Earthbender he could be.

It wasn't until _after _Coach Bumi reviewed the rules, and lined up Aang as the opposing tackler to Toph... that the boy realized something else. This girl was blind. How in the _world _could he tackle a girl who couldn't even see or defend herself? More importantly... _what was she doing in a dangerous game like Football?_

"Wait! Coach!" Aang nervously called out, just as Bumi was about to commence the game with his hand. "I...I don't think I'm ready to tackle yet..."

"Aw," came Toph's teasing girlish voice. "Is Twinkle Toes a scared little chick-lizard?"

The boy frowned a rare glance at her, hearing a small bit of laughter from the other kids. _This is crazy_, he thought. He was being humiliated by a blind girl, and the worst part was that if he left he would be a coward, and if he tackled her... well... there was just something terribly wrong about that.

_The Avatar must understand that the most difficult task may eventually bring the greatest rewards, _came the voice of Monk Gyatso once again. Aang was mentally panicking.

But as he continued to look at Toph's fearless, determined face, the boy stood his ground and made his decision. "Nevermind, Coach. I'm good."

Coach Bumi smiled, with his left eye twitching involuntarily as he raised his arms up again.

"Earthbenders, SHIELD!"

Immediately, Toph – along with a handful of other players behind her - stomped the ground once and summoned mounds of rock and gravel to infuse onto their bodies. Aang's jaw dropped in awe, and he caught the notion that the ones who didn't infuse rock were the NonBenders... the ones who wore the extra shoulder-padding for safety.

"Non-EarthBenders, TAKE YOUR POSITIONS..."

Aang kept himself firmly on the ground, locating the football-carrier of his team on his right side. As his arms went in front of him for the tackling pose, the boy breathed calmly, staring at Toph with sincere effort.

But then a small figure at the corner of his eye caught Aang's attention.

It was the moment after he noticed the girl's hair loops, and how she was waving at him from the distance... that Coach Bumi blew his whistle to commence the game.


	6. Toph

"AHHHHHH!!"

Aang's entire body seemed to scrunch up on impulse. He didn't even have time to turn his eyes back into the game, as the shielded boulder named Toph lunged forward without a warning.

"Stand your ground, kid!" he heard one of his teammates say from afar.

Toph had only been a few feet away, and was smirking on the inside as the boy propelled from her rock shield to the ground. With the vibrations that she felt from her feet, this boy was as light as a feather... and her victorious tackle on the new kid made her smile proudly.

Sliding across the earth like a soil skateboard, Toph's feet went to pass the young airbender's ground, immediately changing her attention to the football. Her senses told her that a teammate had just taken hold of the football, so she slowly kept her ears open for any sound of a hovering object nearby, and her feet were keen on finding the next player at her grasp.

It was like air over the field was drenched with soot, Earthbenders and Non-Earthbenders tackling each other for a leather-bound football in a matter of seconds.

Aang's shoulder pads had relieved him from the rocky ground as he landed with a slight bounce on his side. He grit his teeth as he stayed there, practically smelling the dirt, mad at himself for letting this girl take him down so easily... and in front of Katara.

As he struggled to move his should pads back in place and regain himself back to a standing position, Coach Bumi blew his whistle to announce the end of that play.

"_Touchdown _for the Flying Boars!" the man announced in his slightly musical voice, with one of Toph's teammates successfully holding the football at the endzone. The Earthbenders then released their rock solid formations to be ready for the next play.

The boy coughed out some of the gravel soot that had invaded the air in front of him, and opened his eyes to see some of the players walk back to their positions in the field. He couldn't even bear to look over his shoulder to see if Katara had watched all of that humiliation... it was painful enough just swallowing it all in his stomach.

Toph was sliding herself to her own tackler's place, but she impulsively stopped as her nerves noted how the boy was still on the ground, and she felt his grief through her toes. She didn't say a word, nor did she seem to turn her head and acknowledge him more... but Aang did watch her firmly frowning mouth suddenly change into a sigh.

It was the last thing he could've expected from this rough-housing little girl, with those black marks below her eyes that practically screamed ferocity, but the boy left his prejudices behind him once again... as Toph bent over to lend him a helping hand.

"Get up," came her slightly-annoyed voice, but Aang already knew she meant well. He took her hand and with one swift pull, hoisted himself back up into a standing position.

"That's a good sport, Toph," commented Coach Bumi, grinning at how his toughest player was gradually warming herself up to the newcomer. "Now... could you _please_ try and be less aggressive with the new kid?"

Toph's head turned to Coach Bumi, giving her shoulders a shrug to say 'sure, whatever' before she moved back in place for the next tackle. But Aang knew that it was ripping the girl's love for the game... pretending to give less than her all.

"It's okay, Coach..." Aang began, moving back to his own standing position to face Toph once again with a grin. "I don't mind a tackling challenge from a little girl."

A chorus of uncomfortable whispers suddenly commenced from various players in the field. Toph's eyes blinked, quickly returning her face into a charged fierce look.

"Uh-ho, you_ sure _about that, Twinkle-Toes?" came her driven voice, grinning teasingly.

"Positive," Aang dared to reply, noticing how a player's knees were shaking fearfully behind Toph.

Coach Bumi's eyes raised themselves, realizing how this new boy had dared to drop the "little girl" comment on Toph at his first day in gym class. On one side, the man appreciated that courage, but on another side, Bumi was praying that the boy could make it through the entire day without a broken bone in his body.

"Alright, then let's keep this game going! Earthbenders, SHIELD!" Coach Bumi didn't let any more time go to waste, watching a small friendship slowly forming between two bold opponents.

Instantly, the Earthbending players once again shielded themselves with the rocky ground, and Toph managed to make herself look more like a boulder this time. Aang could not guess how heavy she had become from the gravel and the dirt that was summoned from the nerves of her very being.

This time, the boy forced himself to look ahead at every moment, getting his mind to focus solely on the girl in front of her, instead of the one probably watching him from the sidelines. In fact... Aang imagined the lovely girl with hairloops standing right behind Toph on the field... telling himself that the only way to get to her was through a solid tackling of the boulder.

Aang was ready for the challenge as Bumi's whistle commenced the play, gritting his teeth to take on the rock shield. Toph's rock formation slid aggressively towards Aang, and he refused to break that eye contact that brought so much more stamina to her game. The boy shoved his hands forward and held on to the girl's force tightly as she attempted to push him limply out of her way... but Aang knew he couldn't let the girl win.

He was determined to get to Katara. Aching arms and knees did not even seem to acknowledge themselves as Aang pushed that boulder towards his favoring direction, letting that moment of intensity practically summon his inner Earthbending ability. The boy had only gotten few short lessons to Earthbending up until then, from visiting teachers who had come the Southern Air Temple to support the Avatar-in-Training... but the rock movements, all the ground-trembling drills he had done were not even close to the intensity and passion he was now experiencing with Football.

He felt the air again fill up with thick soot from the trampling and movements of the ground, and Aang still pushed with all of his might to get Toph from tackling into his territory. The boy could feel his toes dig into the soil below his as he pushed forward with all of his might, not taking his imaginary eyes from a lovely girl named Katara... and the imaginary hug that was waiting for him at the endzone.

Of course, the inspirational force he brought to Toph was not enough to send the large boulder into the air, and the female Earthbender concentrated more and more on the ground beneath her, as if communicating with her natural element. It was like her rock formation had suddenly turned to pure marble then... because the next thing he knew... Toph gave one forceful, valuable shove against the boy and his face greeted the soil-driven ground.

_Monkey-feathers... I almost had her! _Aang groaned with a mix of disappointment and excitement, knowing he had brought an intense challenge to the toughest player in the field. He looked up to the railing to see if a certain dark-skinned beauty with hairloops had caught a glimpse of this boy's determination.

But she was gone, and Aang bit his lip with grief.

_Where'd she go? _He wondered. Apparently, she had only stopped by to wave "hello," but it didn't make any sense. Why had she been outside? Most classes were held _inside _the school building, weren't they? The boy tried hard to keep possibilities from brewing in his mind.

It wasn't long before one of the players from Aang's team – a NonBender – had managed to take hold of the soaring football, leaping into the air with such agility and grasping the football tightly before hitting the ground hard. Victoriously.

Coach Bumi blew his whistle to call the end of that play. "... and the Moose-Lions have the lead in the field! All players move into the new field line!"

Toph promptly loosened her rock shield once again to walk herself to the new part of the field..

When the coach blew his whistle the third time, the little Earthbender decided to try something different; rather than fusing rock onto her entire body, she summoned the gravel to reach only up to her lower body, letting her bare arms take hold on the airbender's shoulderpads. She had a mischievous look to her, and the boy wondered if this was some sort of trick, but nevertheless, his tough demeanor remained in tact.

Aang's hard grip stayed on Toph the entire time, and with grit teeth, he pushed the Earthbender a couple of feet from where she started.

"Get your feet wider apart, and tilt your frame a little," Toph mumbled tersely, as if this were not at all related to football. "It'll keep you from falling over like an idiot."

Aang nodded in reassurance, but quickly remembering that the girl was blind, he said "got it!" With his slightly more comfortable tackling position, Toph found herself at a decent level to put all of her might into the game. As the two tackled each other, the girl's skin summoned more gravel from the ground, shielding her frame and her arms like a magnet.

Her resistance became much stronger, and yet this time, as she pushed Aang limply in her favored direction, the boy did not fall to the ground. She heard him groan with disappointment, yes, but her feet did not register any body hit the ground. Much to her surprise, the boy had simply just staggered backwards, as if catching his own weight with the lightest touch of his feet

Toph pursed her lips at that odd defense mechanism. _Ah ha!, _she said to herself, knowing that her first senses and vibrations with this Twinkle Toes were dead on.

All Earthbenders were rooted to ground, and their skin was remarkably thicker than the norm. Toph knew from the start that this boy couldn't have been an Earthbender from the contrasting, almost delicate quality to his feet. At first, Toph she had assumed that this boy was simply light-weight, but with this air-manipulating quality she'd felt on the boy's feet, it could not have been more clear.

The girl grinned happily at her secret discovery. _Another Airbender in Praying Mantis High._

"TOUCHDOWN for the Flying Boars!"

Coach Bumi clapped his hands, and Aang quickly turned around and saw a few of the opponents dancing and cheering at the endzone. The boy wasn't at all upset about his team, because he was just realizing how much fun Earthbending Football. He couldn't wait to master the real Earthbending technique, and was glad that he'd found a rough-ridden opponent to give him his first taste a challenge.

As he looked over at Toph's quiet demeanor, he wondered why she kept grinning at the air in front of her.

Pretty soon the game had come to an end, and Aang had managed to gain a mastery of self defense from the monumental force that Toph would bring to him. Coach Bumi could not help but look impressed at how the new kid was handling the rough tackler... even getting her to grit her teeth, which was a very rare thing to see. Beneath his shoulder-padding, the boy had broken a sweat with all his resistance, and he already felt proud of his new skills.

_As an Earthbender, you need to learn to understand the opposing force, _he recalled a visiting Earthbender say to him on the Southern Air Temple. _Only then can you truly be able to face it, and it's ultimately your choice whether to keep that force as an enemy, or to change it._

"Not bad, Twinkle Toes," the girl extended a hand to the boy standing a few feet from her, as he was regaining himself from that last play.

"Yeah, thanks!" Aang received that hand warmly in good sportsmanship. "And... I'm sorry I called you a little girl," he mumbled as a finish.

"Meh, no big deal." She said, but then gave Aang a teasing punch on the arm, which ended up being slightly more painful than expected. "Just don't say it again."

Most of the players were heading out of the field to change in the locker rooms for the next class, and a few of the Earthbenders stayed behind to help Coach Bumi "bend" the football field back into a playable state. Aang watched with interest as all the hills of gravel were instantly becoming flat by the precise stoms and hand waves of a few students.

Toph had removed her helmet to let her face get a taste of open air again, and Aang felt like he could finally get to talk to the girl underneath the Earthbending football helmet. "Are you trying out for the Football team this year?"

Aang raised an eyebrow. "What? You mean, you have tournaments with other schools?"

"Of course, stupid. We have a full season ahead of us... the Snarling Gators over at Swamp High, the Soaring Hawks from the Royal Fire Academy – the biggest snobs you'll ever meet... where are you transferring from, anyway?"

The boy made a slight gulp in his throat. _Great_, he thought, _I'm gonna turn into a lying Avatar._

"...and why are your nerves all jumpy? Are you trying to lie to me or something?"

"Um...Huh?" It was like the airbender didn't even have time to think. The girl stopped midway in her walk and just looked over at the boy's general direction.

"It's okay... I won't tell anyone what you are... if that's what you're afraid of." Toph said flatly. "But trust me; my Earthbending can sense a lie a mile away, so it isn't worth it."

Aang sighed, knowing that Toph had triggered the boy's worst anxiety from that morning. Strangely... he felt more relieved that someone else was already figuring out his true identity, because he already felt like he could be himself on his first day of school.

"I'm from the Southern Air Temple," he said in a slightly quiet voice to Toph as they continued to walk. "And I'm really an airbender--"

"Haha, yeah, I knew that part. And may the spirits be with you..." Toph remarked with that girlish laugh of hers, as they continued walking. Aang didn't think much of it, already feeling that he'd made a friend.

"Toph!" suddenly a voice near the edge of the field called out to the girl, and Aang looked up to notice that it was young boy, perhaps just a year older. He was wearing a pair of thick gloves and some gardening goggles over his head, and the smile that had formed in Toph's face then could only establish one thing to the airbender.

He was about to make a silly comment to Toph, like "oooh, somebody's blushing..." but then Aang saw how the boy was rolling a chair along the rail to meet the girl at the field entrance, and his question suddenly changed.

"Is that your boyfriend? In the wheelchair?"

That didn't come out right, and Aang could tell by the glaring look in Toph's blushing face.

"He sure is, Twinkle Toes. You got a problem with that?"

"N-no! No, I was just asking... well I noticed that he was..." Aang had to stop talking. He felt like he was causing more and more damage to a sweet moment. "Anyway, you look cute together!"

Toph's eyes narrowed dangerously once again, pretending like the boy had offended her. But then she rolled them annoyingly, said "ah, whatever... Hey Teo!" and she ran off to meet with the boy in the wheelchair.

Aang laughed, mainly from the fact that he'd survived the extreme sensitivity of a girl who could easily smash him into pieces. It was a strange feeling of comfort.

He kept walking to the entrance, along with a few of the football players who'd caught up with him, and as he passed the hugging little couple of Toph and Teo, he then found out where Katara had disappeared to.

"Great job out there, kiddo," came the sweet voice as she held out a gardening glove to wave at him. "Not everyone can handle the Toph Monster."

"You know it!" came Toph's voice from aside as she hugged Teo, who started to laugh a little.

Aang couldn't resist, and he hurried close to Katara to strike up a short conversation in those last few minutes he had. "I had no idea that Earthbending football was so much fun!"

He noticed how a fair number of students were cultivating the grounds near the football field... it must have been an entire class. Katara was digging a hole with a small gardening tool to plan some strange vegetable roots. "Do... do you play football?"

"Me?" Katara slightly giggled at the thought. "I definitely tried it once, but I stuck with Water Tennis instead. It suits me better."

Aang gasped. "You– you're a Waterbender!?" He couldn't believe that the girl he adored was also a skillful bender, and it made sense, too. The female Waterbending masters that had visited the Southern Air Temple were by far the most beautiful benders he had ever seen. They carried a certain style of grace in their art that was cosmopolitan, and visually stunning to see.

Katara looked at him strangely, thinking that this boy was easily intrigued by anything. "Yep, guilty as charged. You should come see a Water Tennis match sometime; they're just an intense as football... right Toph?"

The young Earthbender snorted. "Yeah... in your dreams, miss Water Nymph."

And Katara shook her head in disbelief, but Aang couldn't help but try to keep the conversation going.

"So, what are you doing out here?"

Teo was the one who answered. "Oh, it's our Cultural Enrichment class."

"Yeah," Katara added, holding out some more plant roots for Aang to see with interest. "Miss Wu is giving us a month's lesson on vegetable gardening. Today, we're learning how to properly plant pickle radishes and turnips for the season."

"That's pretty cool," Aang desired so much to extend his hand and grab the plant root, as an excuse to touch the very glove that was being worn by Katara's hand. His eyes shifted slightly to Teo and Toph, as the boy in the wheelchair was presenting to her a small flower he had probably planted for her in the garden.

The way that the flower's petals slightly brushed along Toph's cheeks and made her smile gave Aang such a wave of envy. He really wished he could have had a similar moment like that with the lovely girl with loops in her hair, right then and there, without a silly-looking vegetable root falling into the picture.

Toph quickly broke that long minute by saying "well we better head over to the lockers... come on, Twinke Toes, we're gonna be late!"

Aang sighed and waved a quick goodbye to Katara, which she received kindly and then went back to her gardening. The boy fought hard not to see that small kiss that Toph planted on Teo's cheek right before pushing the airbender towards the locker room's general direction.

Aang ran off with Toph behind him, promising himself that he would make the next Water Tennis tournament on schedule. Air Dodgeball tournaments didn't seem so important anymore.

**Note: Yep, my first ship is Teoph. But seriously, aren't they adorable? Thanks for all the feedback so far, and I'll be sure to keep this story running faster. More characters/ships to come!**


	7. NonBenders

"... let's welcome our new student, Aang, to Praying Mantis High..."

The young airbender didn't know how many more times he could take hearing that phrase throughout the day at school... as if every single classroom had an entirely new group of students who hadn't noticed a new kid in their room. It all seemed to get very awkward really quickly.

He'd heard it first by the eloquent Ms. Ursa... which unfortunately ended up being the most exciting thing she'd said for the rest of that hour. The reason? A long and meticulous analysis of the Earth Kingdom's second revision of their Code of Honor, and why it was different from the original.

However, as the boy glanced at the fascinating artifacts, the ancient scrolls hanging on the walls, and a grand painting of a man who seemed to have once ruled the Fire Nation with a powerful comet... and he wondered if he'd simply walked in for the wrong History lesson. Perhaps the other ones would be more intriguing.

At least Ms. Ursa was thoughtful and kind with her welcoming to the new student, because there were other teachers... like Mr. Jeong Jeong... who seemed to act like Aang was just a kid who'd walked into the classroom very, very late.

"_Well _boy, with the red bandana... what can you tell me about _juxtaposition?_"

The boy's eyes rose, speechless, feeling his mouth tremble with an answer.

"Um... that...that it's a very long word?"

A slight bit of laughter and giggling ensued from a few of the classmates behind him, but Mr. Jeong Jeong was looking sternly at the boy with the red bandana covering his head.

"Just sit down..." Jeong Jeong slammed a ruler down on his desk to gain control once again from his class, and he scrunched his eyes to a close, wondering how the hell he could get through another lesson with these children, and have them appreciate the art of Storytelling.

"I am about to explain to you the most _ancient _method of concealing history through the ages, and it does not involve the lifting of a pen..."

His theatrical demeanor was both fascinating and frightening at the same time, but Aang assumed by the looks of the other students that it was just another day in Literature class. From what Aang saw in the paintings along the walls, this white-mustached man had a grand fascination with old people in funny Westernized costumes.

The lesson was actually one of Aang's favorites from that day, looking back at it from atop of Appa as he headed back home to the Southern Air Temple for dinner. He had no idea that storytelling had been such a medium of communication... it was probably the reason that so many historical traditions had kept themselves strong today.

"_Earthbending _Football?" one of Aang's friends from the Temple remarked with an odd look on his face. "How did you manage to survive _that _one?"

Aang was helping himself to some fresh tofu with his chopsticks in the dining area of the Temple, eating peacefully as his friends continued to stare at him, practically mesmerized by his stories.

"It's not as bad as it sounds, really," Aang replied as he chewed on a mouthful of tofu, "Once you get used to falling onto the ground, it's a lot of fun..."

The kids just blinked with disbelief, and continued to eat their dinner as Aang tried to explain the rules of tackling in Earthbending Football. It was a strange feeling, talking to his best friends about the intensity and thrill of falling on his face... which was something practically unknown to the airbenders. It made sense, since most airbenders found it simple to manipulate gravity.

"What's it like to be in a school with girls?" another boy asked.

This almost made Aang choke on his tofu. Some of the other airbenders chuckled at the look on his face, as if he had left Momo back at the Praying Mantis school grounds.

Immediately, a certain girl's musical laughter echoed in the boy's ears, and in spite of the fact that it brought serenity to him, Aang was reluctant to bring her up. Everything about her seemed so precious, like a keepsake to him... the hairloops that dangled over her eyes, her smile, the gracefulness of her hands... and Aang just couldn't find the means to talk about Katara so openly. At least not yet.

"It's okay..." Aang attempted to say, stuffing his mouth and looking away at the boy, "I mean it isn't anything new. They're like the girls from the Western Air Temple... they're really giggly and up in the clouds sometimes..."

"Are you friends with any of them?" a boy from the far end of Aang's table asked quickly.

Raising an eyebrow, Aang's mind flashed back to the few instances he'd seen Katara that day, and wondered if they established a friendship between them. He sighed. The next person he'd considered talking about was the sarcastic, brutally-honest little Earthbender who was in all of his classes... and Smellerbee.

"Yeah!" Aang said more positively. "One of them's the only girl Football player, and one of them's a Hip Hop dancer."

"A _what_? Hop-Pop dancer?" The boy's face looked like he was about to spit all of his rice noodles in laughter.

"H_ip hop _dancer," Aang repeated, trying not to snort at the silly name himself, "I heard it's one of the most popular dances in the Earth Kingdom right now. A few of the kids I met take it really seriously there..."

* * *

The young airbender wasn't kidding.

When he first met Jet under the oak tree, dancing was the last thing Aang would've considered as the no-nonsense guy's hobby... but as he discovered during his school lunch period that day... not only did Jet, Longshot, Smellerbee, and Pipsqueak practice Hip Hop and Break-dancing... but they were proud competitors of all kinds of dance, too.

Aang could still remember how strange it was, walking out of the school and watching the same people he me under the oak tree, with Jet stretching and Pipsqueak eating his lunch under shade. The boy accidentally swallowed half of his apple core when he noticed Smellerbee and Longshot dancing so closely together... and one of Longshot's hands were securely attached to her waist. Smellerbee serious face didn't seem to mind, as she looked squarely at Longshot's eyes.

"Hey, new kid! Quit staring and just get over here," came Jet's greeting over to the boy.

The airbender was a little reluctant, as his main hope was to find Katara somewhere in the crowd during lunch and "accidentally" run into her again... but Aang knew that it was just the first day. And since Jet was the first person who'd welcomed him to the school, he recalled the Avatar's philosophy in his mind and went over to hang out with the Oak tree crew.

As the boy made it under the shade of the oak, Smellerbee spotted Aang approaching at the corner of her eye, and she instantly became uncomfortable to continue dancing. She and Longshot quit in mid-step, and they looked over at Jet as if questioning him with their dark eyes.

"Don't worry, guys, it's cool," Jet said to them as he sat on the ground stretching.

"You're bringing the _new _kid to watch us practice?" Smellerbee kept her arm over Longshot's shoulder as she spoke to Jet.

"Bee, _relax_; he's just here to watch," Jet reassured to her. "He's not gonna steal your stuff."

"What stuff?" Aang's face was flushing more and more, feeling unwelcome into the oak tree.

"He means our dances," Pipsqueak's low, colossal voice answered the boy, after swallowing a bite of sandwich. "for the Praying Mantis' dance competition at the end of the year."

"Yep," Jet agreed, finally getting up to stretch his arms over his head. "The rumor is that this year, the theme's gonna be _Salsa_... which is traditionally a Fire Nation dance, but those Fire kids are gonna have it in for them!"

"Wow..." Aang was still mesmerized by the words 'dance competition' and the fact that it related to this group of stern-looking kids. He scratched his head under the red bandana nervously. "I... I had no idea that you guys also...um..."

"What?" Jet looked at him with speculation, but amusingly. "That we danced?"

Aang looked at the ground, slightly embarrassed.

"I mean... I didn't know that NonBenders also competed in... in other things."

"What are you saying, exactly?" Smellerbee said almost rudely. "That NonBenders aren't talented in _anything_? That we don't _deserve_ to be gifted"

Longshot was practically holding her back by an arm.

"Bee, quit picking a fight." Jet tamed her down. "He probably doesn't know any better..."

The young man shook his head with disbelief, and decided that he had finished his stretching. "Kid, I don't know _what_ they told you at this Southern Air Temple, but there are some really great NonBenders over here."

It was at that point when Jet took the liberty of clamping a hand to Aang's shoulder, to turn him around to look at the crowd of kids outside the school, observing them during their lunch period.

Jet pointed with one of his fingers at Aang's shoulder.

"See that kid over there?"

Aang knew who he was pointing at instantly... with all the papers and scrolls being carried on the boy's lanky arms... it was definitely Sokka. Jet continued to speak.

"Sokka's the leader for The Duke's troop in the Boy Scouts, he's practically Mr. Mechanist's assistant in the labs... plus, he won our school's Geography Bee last year... and I hear he's trying to run for Prom King too, eh, Squeakers?"

Pipsqueak couldn't help but give a hearty laugh at that last comment, finishing up his sandwich.

Jet pointed again, this time to a girl who had the biggest smile and perturbing eyes Aang had ever seen. She sported a long brown braid and was wearing her Fire Nation colors proudly with a few pieces of pink, and Aang took note that she was talking to the girl that Aang saw in Gym class. Azula... the one who'd been throwing fire darts fearlessly.

"That's Ty Lee... not the sharpest quill you'll ever meet, but she's one of our head cheerleaders and the lead baton twirler for the Marching Band. You'll get used to seeing her a lot at our pep rallies, and trust me... if you don't like the school, she'll turn as mean as ever."

As Jet was pointing to a third person in the crowd, Aang noticed that his hand had shaken a little, as if he was being reluctant to talk about that certain girl. Aang took a good look to who the finger was directing to... and it was none other than the young woman who'd been Azula's masterful opponent during Gym class... the one with the pale, expressionless face.

She was walking aimlessly out of a certain crowd, with a few paint brushes in one hand and large flat suitcase in her other arm. The airbender had seen one of those before... by a visiting swords master at the Southern Air Temple, who had also been a painter. It was an art portfolio, and the young woman was carrying it over to another distant tree for shade.

Aang wondered why it was taking a second for Jet to speak again.

Jet's voice stiffened. "Uh... that's Mai. She's... another NonBender, but she's amazing with weaponry, especially with throwing darts and knives... She took up painting this past year, and found out she was a beauti– wonderful art prodigy. A few of the murals you see at the school are done by her..."

He quickly removed his hand from Aang's shoulder then, ultimately having enough of NonBender-fishing. As the boy looked over at Jet again, his face was practically avoiding contact with the crowd altogether.

"That's really great that the four of you dance," Aang pushed himself to be more supportive, "I always thought dancing was just fun. We do a little of it at the Temple, but it's not competitive."

"Oh, you have _no _idea how hardcore it can get..." Jet started, narrowing his eyes. "Smellerbee here was a finalist for Hip Hop in Ba Sing Se's dance festival last summer."

Smellerbee nodded at that bit of information, crossing her arms proudly without smiling.

"What's Hip Hop?" Aang asked curiously, and four pairs of eye instantly widened in disbelief.

The thin girl raised a brow and glanced at the airbender with inconceivable dark eyes, but Jet then spoke up with an idea.

"Here, let's demonstrate for him... guys, do you remember that first number we did for the Praying Mantis dance last year?"

The three others nodded once in their own time, and Jet smiled.

"Come on, let's show Aang how much we NonBenders mean business."

It wasn't long before the four friends placed themselves in a choreographed stance in front of the boy, and Jet's face became extremely stern once again...

* * *

"...They were amazing!!!" Aang exclaimed to his friends back at the Southern Air Temple, as the many young boys were finishing their supper and picking themselves up from the table. "It was like their muscles in their body had a mind of their own... and in _perfect timing._"

The other airbenders responded with intriguing "cool"s and "awesome"s, but for some reason Aang felt it would have been more exciting to watch them in person.

Before heading over to his bed chamber in the Temple, Aang decided to pay another visit to Monk Gyatso's office, just had he had promised he would do after the first day of school. The elder monk was making a late-night cup of ginger tea and writing something on a scroll when the knock came at the door.

"Enter; Aang, I was just expecting you," Gyatso replied as he added another mug to his table.

"Hey, Monk Gyatso!" Aang entered cheerfully, and did not waste any time telling his mentor about the great day he had at school... talking about all of his teachers, all the ridiculous rules that Vice Principal Zhao had established, and the numerous students he'd been lucky to run into.

"...the Oak tree kids said they might want a fifth member for their dance troupe this year... it would _really _be cool to dance the way they do."

"Interesting," the monk remarked humbly to the boy, as he sipped a bit of his tea. "Are you planning to try out for that?"

"Actually, they said they're looking for a girl," Aang replied only with a bit of disappointment, "but that's okay... because I'm trying out for something else."

"Hmm... _mu-si-cal the-a-tre?_" Gyatso guessed to the boy.

"Nope!" Aang gave a small laugh. "Just for _the-a-tre_. It's a play... called _the Tale of Omashu._"

"Ah, the story of the famous star-crossed lovers" Monk Gyatso sat his tea down for a second and smiled. "Oh, I do believe it's a favorite of mine. Do you remember that story?"

"Yep!"

_How can I forget? _was more what Aang was thinking dreamily, still hearing the lovely voice of Katara as she was retelling him the story during their Study Hall period out in the courtyard that day. He had managed to find her outside in the courtyard, apparently reading the same play for Jeong Jeong's class.

"...Oma and Shu were forbidden to see each other because of their feuding Earth Kingdom villages," the girl said to Aang gracefully. "and despite all of the forces telling them they can't be together... the two lovers secretly get married in the caves and become the first Earthbenders! They kiss and everything... it's adorable, and it's such a wonderful, tragic story."

"That sounds really fun," Aang commented, trying hard to keep his heart from beating like a drumline in front of Katara. He'd found her sitting with Sokka, doing some Science homework on one of the rock benches of the courtyard, and Aang had noticed an _auditions! _flyer in her hand. He'd approached her with a deep breath, letting the light breeze cool him from the hot sun, for asking what _The Tale of Omashu_ was about.

"You should come try out for it!" the girl's radiant blue eyes seemed to smile at the boy. "It's a classic piece of drama... and my friend Haru's going to be the director this year. He's awesome with anything theatre-related."

Aang grinned, "Um... when are the tryouts going to be?"

"This Friday after school, in our small auditorium." Katara benevolently handed the boy the flyer, with a small brush of her hand. "I'll be one of the first people there."

"Y-you're trying out, too?" Aang's heart was singing a melody as he asked her, recieving the flyer with much joy.

"Yeah; this is Haru's first time as director, so a bunch of us want to help out to support him," Katara explained. "I'll see you on Friday, then?"

Aang took a deep breath, grinning at the sweet girl bravely, with full honesty.

"I'll definitely be there..."

* * *

Deep down, as Aang smiled himself to sleep that night after his first day at Praying Mantis High, the boy sincerely hoped that this guiding Spirits had already chosen who would be Shu, and who would be Oma in the play.

**A/N: I know... I know what you're thinking. Hip Hop dancing? Star-crossed lovers? wtf! Hey, sometimes I just can't help my imaginative instincts. Seriously, am I the only one who saw Jet and the Freedom Fighters as possible break-dancers? Or Mai as an art prodigy? (for all we know, she could've painted that portrait of Maiko in the DBS episode) Don't worry, just ponder... and trust me with this one. -- MM**


	8. Audition

"_May I lay a kiss on this gentle hand that I see before me?..."_

Aang picked up an imaginary hand in front of him, as he stood in front of a mirror in the boy's bathroom, trying not to look straight into his reflection and lose the moment. A couple of older boys had walked into the bathroom then, chatting away about the upcoming Earthbending Football tryouts, and Aang immediately placed his arms back at his side, pretending that he had just noticed a pimple in this face.

The end of the school day had shown up out of nowhere that Friday afternoon, and the boy tried not to think about the audition he was supposed to walk in for in less than an hour... knowing it would mean an entire year of being close to the sweetest, prettiest girl of Praying Mantis. Aang was cautious about mentioning the _reason _for his auditioning... the fact that a dark-haired girl was always dancing in his mind... knowing that his friends from the Southern Air Temple would make fun of him.

Aang could just imagine the dialogue between him and the airbenders...

_You're trying out for a play? _MmHmm.

_What's it called? _The Tale of Omashu.

_Ooooh, how romantic!_ _Which part are you trying out for? _Um... Shu...

_REALLY? You want to be the lover-boy? _Yeah... I think he's a great character...

_Oh really, Aang. Why? Is there some girl you're thinking about...?_

And of the course, the entire Cosmic Universe would break loose after that.

* * *

There were only a few people who managed to know about his audition for the play. Some of them were the ones who had taken him under their shade of the Oak Tree... and throughout the course of the week... did not mind that an awkward boy with a red bandana sat with them during lunch.

"Aang, c'mon, you _know _you can do better than that..." Jet was sitting against the Oak Tree, crossing his arms with very intense criticism in his face. "Look over at Smellerbee... pretend that she is the _love of your life. _Okay? Your _LIFE!!_"

"What?" Smellerbee winced from her sitting position, turning to Jet questioningly. A slight blush formed below her black make-up marks, and Longshot looked at her with a rare grin.

Aang blushed. The boy had managed to memorize his favorite monologue from the entire play, where Shu describes his feelings for Oma at the first sight of her... but as Aang tried to deliver it refreshingly to Jet and the other break-dancers... he felt that he need his _real _inspiration in order to deliver his true feelings with the lines perfectly.

"This is hopeless," the boy remarked, throwing his arms in the air. "How am I supposed to convince Haru that I'm a good... a good...?"

"Loverboy?" Jet finished.

"_Actor!_"

Aang didn't mean to sound harsh. It was the fact that none of them knew about his crush over a pretty girl with hairloops, and he didn't want to give anything away right then and there. He wanted the part of the lover more than anything that week... believing that he could show Katara how amazing of an actor and potential boyfriend he could be.

It was a stupid thought... and he refused to tell _anyone_ about this... but the boy's worst nightmare was seeing Katara play Oma opposite another boy as Shu, and watch them kiss onstage as two lovers before an entire school of people. Aang knew it probably would not mean much between actors, but still... the boy wasn't sure if he could handle such a thing.

He loved the girl's smile too much.

"Aang, it's going to be okay," Pipsqueak attempted, leaning against the Oak Tree and observing the boy. "You memorized the lines... now all you have to do is _believe _in what you're saying. Show Haru that you are the perfect lead for this play."

Jet nodded, picking up a piece of straw from the ground and placing it in his mouth to chew, and to ponder about a new plan for the boy.

"Kid... tell me honestly..." Jet squinted his eyes, trying to study Aang's overwhelmed, nervous expression in his eyes. "Now you don't have to tell me who it is... but I just need to know."

Aang's eyes rose but they didn't meet Jet's. He knew what was coming.

"Do you have a crush on a girl at this school?" Jet's voice was calm and not at all teasing as he delivered the question.

Aang could hear Pipsqueak give a hearty laugh in the background right as he nodded, almost shamefully.

"Hey Pips, I'm trying to help here. And why are you laughing, when just yesterday you ditched us for a picnic lunch with Jin?" Jet retorted back at the big guy, and immediately, his laughter faded into a blush, looking away from the scene as if he wanted to Oak tree to eat him alive. The young man with the straw in his mouth returned his glance to the boy, and continued to speak.

"Kid, I'll admit it; I've had a crush on someone here, too... for a long time. And this year, I made a promise that I'd finally show her how I felt, because I'm ready for it."

Aang took a small breath, knowing that this anxiety must not be anything new at Praying Mantis High. In his mind, he wondered how long it would take for him to finally approach Katara that way... and he also wondered which mysterious girl at the school had been worth thinking about in Jet's mind for so long. _Wait a minute_, Aang panicked. _What if... what if it was KATARA!?_

"So listen..." Jet continued, noticing how the boy had quickly looked from the ground to meet his eyes with determination, "you might not be ready to tell this girl of yours how you feel yet... but make this monologue your chance to tell _the whole world_ how you feel. Don't worry about sounding like an everyday Loverboy. Make it your own."

Jet gave the Aang one of his signature pats on the shoulder, with Momo climbing down from the Oak tree to land on the other one. The boy smiled with that reassurance from his friend, and from the comfort that Momo gave from the familiar squeaking he made.

_Make it my own, _Aang repeated to himself easily. _Make it my own..._

* * *

...and there he was, back in the boy's bathroom, staring into the mirror as the red bandana covered his head and the light sweat that was forming under it. In a few minutes, the boy knew that he would have to head to the school auditorium for one of the greatest challenges of his life. Carefully, he turned the water faucet and cupped his hands to drink a little, to soften his mouth and his nerves. He couldn't help but imagine the lovely waterbender's face from the puddle in his hands.

Why was it almost impossible to feel his legs at that moment? His stomach felt queasy, and he had trouble just looking straight at himself in the mirror. _Is this what true love feels like?_ Aang wondered. He wasn't sure if his nervousness was mainly due to the audition he was about to make... or the fact that he would have to see Katara in the auditorium, and express his cryptic feelings for her, right then and there.

Aang exited out of the bathroom, as if he'd relived his first revelation of being the Avatar-in-Training, and took a small breath of the element he knew well. All of a sudden, his legs were becoming less like air and more like stone, like the entire forces of the Earth were preventing him from fulfilling this great task of auditioning. After only a few steps down the hallway... Aang had to lean against a wall to gather his thoughts and take a breath.

"You okay, Twinkle Toes?" The young, familiar voice approached him from the opposite side of the hallway, wearing her Earthbending Football helmet for the after-school tryout drills. "Um, did you know your heart's going at the rate of a small Kangarabbit right now?"

"Toph, you gotta help me," Aang was struggling to keep himself upright, leaning against the wall. "I can't go there by myself."

"Go _where_ by yourself?" Toph raised an eyebrow and grabbed a hold of Aang's side before he slipped near to the ground. "You mean that silly audition"

"Yes! Please...I need inspiration!" Aang closed his eyes, taking another full gulp of breath as Toph kept a hold of his weight with her small body. "I need you to come with me!"

"What for?" The little girl was so confused, keeping hold of Aang's side. She wondered if it had been best to get to Football drills early and set the field with the other boys, instead of dealing with this crazy kid.

"I...um..." Aang bit his lip and clenched his fists bravely. "_I need to pretend that I'm in love with you!"_

At that, the little girl let go of her hold, letting the unsteady airbender to meet solid ground stomach-first.

* * *

"Thanks so much for coming, Sokka, and Suki..."

Haru held a clipboard under his arm while he made a quick applause to his friends onstage.

"No problem, Mr. Director!" Sokka teased dryly, but then coughed another few words. "Um, I know that the part of Shu involves a lot of commitment, and I'm already swamped with the lab reports I have to do for Mr. Mechanist... and the camping trips I'm doing with the boy scouts... and the--"

Suki elbowed him annoyingly from the side.

"–but I'd be _more_ than happy to take any part. Anything at all..._ especially_ if I get to fight with a sword." Sokka smiled over at Suki for approval, but she just rolled her eyes and laughed.

"Same here, Haru," Suki spoke up from the stage. "I'll be okay with a small part, since I have Kyoshi drill team practice on most days after school."

Haru took his clipboard out and jotted down a few notes accordingly, "alright, I'll make sure I keep that in mind. The cast list should be up by Monday morning. Thanks again!"

The young pair held each other's hands as they walked down the stage, and Haru was sitting himself back down on the front row of the theatre right when Aang and Toph stepped into the door. Aang was practically carrying Toph's little body into the auditorium like a baby. A very reluctant, screaming baby.

"Okay, I made it to audition with you. Now do you mind if _I went to Football practice? I'm supposed to train the new kids!" _The little girl's voice was jumping into a high pitch with all of her frustration, being cradled over Aang's arms.

Aang was gritting his teeth, partially thankful that Toph couldn't use her full Earthbending capability inside the school, much less in this carrying position. "Just a couple more minutes Toph, please!"

"Uh, Aang..." Sokka raised an eyebrow as he made it to the last step. "Are... you... CRAZY!? _Put her down!_"

"I can't, Sokka," Aang continued to pull Toph into the auditorium kicking and screaming, and down the first few rows of chairs. "I just need her for moral support."

Aang needed someone he was very comfortable and familiar with to help him through this grueling audition. In spite of Toph kicking and screaming over his arms, he couldn't think of anyone else to better fit the role. Jet and his crew were off practicing their dances elsewhere around the school... and he didn't have time to find them.

Suki then released her hand from Sokka's and approached Aang with a very concerned, yet warm glance. "Aang, it's okay. I'm sure Sokka and I can stay and watch, if you're feeling nervous... right Haru?"

Haru nodded from the behind them, nervously, with the role of leadership still being new to him.

"_Yeah, Twinkle Toes_," the little girl retorted over Aang's arms, finally giving the kicking a rest. "_I gotta get to practice!_"

With a small second of reassurance from the people in front of him, Aang looked at Toph with guilt, believing that there wasn't anyone else who'd help him give a more comfortable audition that his Earthbending Football partner. Yet in all of his disappointment, the young airbender had to do what was right... and he set Toph down, and she immediately huffed herself back in a standing position and stomped out of the auditorium without so much as a goodbye.

"Don't mind her," Haru noted, getting out of his seat and approaching the airbender's sad face. "Earthbending Football's her life, trust me. It's one of the few things Toph would ever miss deliberately."

Haru extended a hand to the boy in a professional manner.

"I'm Haru, by the way, the director of _The Tale of Omashu._" Quickly checking his auditioning schedule, he added, "Oh! You must be Aang. Great... well Katara should be coming in a few seconds, she signed up to audition with you."

The young boy's heart skipped a beat, and Sokka and Suki couldn't help but glance curiously at his face of shock. "Wh... What?"

"Yeah," Haru replied simply. "She specifically asked me if I could schedule her to audition with the new kid. I guess she wanted to support you just as much as--"

Suddenly the door burst open a second time.

"Hey guys! Sorry I'm late..." Katara almost stumbled over her own tennis shoes as she came in on a rush, and it was the first time Aang had seen the girl with her hair down, with a tennis band keeping her hairloops in place. Despite her panting breath and how she wiped her sweaty hands over her short blue tennis skirt, Aang had to blink to keep telling himself he was still alive over such beauty.

And he couldn't remember his first line. _Monkeyfeathers!_

"Great! You're both here." Haru took the liberty of giving his friend Katara a hug, which made Aang involuntarily blush with jealousy. The director then returned to the front row, and Sokka and Suki found a pair of seats in the front row as well. "Alright, so we're going to make this quick, since Katara, I know you have to get to Water Tennis drills in a few minutes..."

Katara nodded to Haru, then gestured for Aang to take a seat on the stage, before going up on the platform herself.

"So instead of doing three scenes, I'm just going to give you two the last one with Oma and Shu... the one we all like to dub 'the _kissing _scene.'"

Everyone gave a small laugh, except for Aang. His nerves were jumping just by the warmth of Katara's presence next to him. Suddenly, the fact that Sokka – Katara's _brother - _was watching them together was giving the Aang the most uncomfortable, worrisome thoughts.

"Alright, Aang. Did you memorize Shu's lines?" Haru asked up to the boy, pen on his clipboard.

The young airbender used all the energy he had to make a full nod, but then looked back at Katara and her smile, and he seemed to grow less tense with every second they were up there.

"Katara?" Haru acknowledged then.

"Actually, Haru, I'm really sorry... I looked at the script a few times this week... but with all the Water Tennis preparations, I just couldn't..."

"Not a problem, you can use the script I have here." Haru quickly stood up and handed the girl a small booklet that said _Omashu_ and made a note in his clipboard "It's page 27."

Aang glanced at Katara, noticing how she blushed with embarrassment by not being prepared. He smiled back to her with support, telling her through his mind that there was nothing to be ashamed of. The boy admired those tiny, almost invisible dimples, from the girl's cheeks.

"Okay... lovers! Ready for the audition?"

Katara and Aang flinched back into the moment, turning their heads to see Haru look up at them.

"Sure, I think so!" Katara spoke foolishly for the two of them, opening up her booklet to the page.

"Alright... Katara, let's start with Oma's line: _I struggled to find my way home through the light of this blissful moon..._"

The pretty waterbender followed along with the script, and she spoke her lines in the most comforting eloquence that Aang had a privilege hearing from aside.

_...but these woods are so deep, and I feel like a small bird confined to an endless cage. Could it be that the moonlight is playing a trick with my eyes tonight? Does the great moon spirit desire me to encounter a new sense of guidance to help me home?_

Katara paused and moved her book slightly lower to her face, glancing to prompt Aang. The boy gasped and realized it was his turn to speak. It was the moment when Oma runs into Shu in the dark woods of the Earth Kingdom, and Aang's mind was caught off guard.

"Um... M-may...May I..." the boy felt his head trickle new drops of sweat as he tried to remember his line, and as Katara continued to look at him, it all seemed to be too much.

Haru spoke up. "It's alright Aang, just relax and take a deep breath."

Aang listed to Haru's voice, closing his eyes tightly to get his mind back into the scene, remembering what Jet had advised him to do. _Make this moment your own._

_Make the world know how much you love Katara._

The boy's fingers then began to flex themselves into a relaxation, and as he took a deep breath and opened his eyes to the girl at his side, it was like Aang had seen those beautiful blue eyes for the first time. He had never felt so at peace.

"_May I... lay a kiss on the gentle hand that I see before me?"_

Aang didn't realize how his voice had changed then, and his mind was so calm, he almost forgot that his mouth was even moving. The monologue formed itself in his mind and came into existence with his voice, word-by-word like tiny drops of sweet honey... never taking his eyes off the pretty girl that sat next to him.

"_It's like an angel has fallen from the sky, and here I am... a poor warrior... lucky enough to find you in the woods, lost within these mortal realms._"

Katara gaped, from flattery or from amusement, nobody could tell. Her eyes looked at the boy's calm presence, wondering how in the world he had managed to remember his lines so well. Quickly, she remembered she was supposed to speak then, and looked at the book.

"_Great warrior, your words flow as serenely as the river I hear, and yet I am as much a mortal as you. A warrior, nonetheless from the Eastern cliffs of the Earth Kingdom, the enemy of my village. How can I trust my enemy to set me free, within the dark lurking of these woods?"_

Aang couldn't help himself, listening to the girl's lovely voice speak to him like that, and he drew himself closer as he answered.

"_Trust this heart that whispers to you now, saying that Shu is no longer an enemy to your people, of the Western prairies. I surrender my sword and my spirit of an Eastern warrior to you, my missing star of an unknown name."_

Aang could hear Suki giggle out in the audience, and as the boy finished his line, he noticed Katara eyes raised higher, blushing at the boy's moving closer, and the intensity of those words as they escaped his mouth. Quickly, she opened her booklet again.

"_This gesture is a noble one, young warrior, and you kneel to me as though I were the great Moon Spirit herself. But let it be known that I am Oma, from the spiritual bird of the same name. My heart is flattered, singing your very name to me in a language I have never heard before, and it asks me to trust you. But how can I trust my enemy in a language that is unknown?"_

Katara set the book down, having finished her lines for the part of Oma, and her face anticipated to hear those last few lines of Shu, with Aang's serene-looking eyes still gazing at her.

He smiled, leaning closer to Katara.

"_It is a language that moves the very ground from our feet, whose whispers tell the mountains to rise and the vast rivers to flow and give life to our people. It is a language, an aura that has existed within us since the beginning of mortal man, where few are blessed to understand. Its whispers have led me to you in these woods, fair Oma, and with a small kiss to your hand, I surrender my heart as well." _

Without giving her a warning, or without a single moment's thought to do otherwise, Aang leaned his lips to the girl, and planted a light kiss on her cheek.

Suki gasped loudly, placing a hand over her mouth, and Sokka's eyes had practically popped out of their sockets, speechless.

Katara didn't know what to say, much less do. She just sat there mesmerized, her hand planted quickly onto the cheek that had been touched by Aang's lips. Before she knew it, she was giggling! Her eyes had closed and she was laughing at the mere surprise and personal gesture of it all. And yet it was something that made her feel so warm.

Aang just watched her reaction, smiling.

Haru was too impressed to say anything, and jotted down a few notes onto his pad excitedly.

"Aang, are you _sure _you've never acted before? You're a natural loverboy!" Haru smiled, jotting down some more notes on his clipboard.

"Thanks!" Aang propped himself off the chair to quickly turn away from Katara, and let her breathe the moment of shock out of her mind. She was caressing her cheek, getting herself back into reality from that unexpected kiss that the boy had stolen from her.

Sokka, for some reason, looked as if he had transformed into a dark guardian in a matter of seconds.

"Maybe we should get going..." Suki knew that face rather well, tugging at Sokka's shirt as the eyes were starting to stare menacingly at the young, innocent smile of the airbender.Katara then came down from the stage and traded looks with her brother, telling him mentally that no harm had been done.

"Haru, I gotta head to practice." Katara approached Haru to hand back the booklet, briefly brushing Aang's bare arm with her own as she did so. She didn't seem to think anything of it, but to Aang, it was a wonder that he had not melted right there. "Of course, I'll be up for any small part in the play. My Water Tennis matches are the first priority this year."

"But you'd be a _great _Oma, Katara!" Aang suggested positively, hopefully. The girl just glanced at the boy with a slight blush, before waving a hand to everyone.

"Anyway, I'm off to Water Tennis. Let me know how everything else goes, okay, Haru?" Katara smiled at the Director just as she and Sokka and Suki left the auditorium.

Haru was jotting down more notes in his clipboard, while Aang reminisced silently in the theatre, wondering if his raw feelings had reached Katara.

"Well, thanks so much for coming Aang. I'm certainly looking forward to working with you!" Haru said happily, as if half of his worries as a director had suddenly disappeared.

"Thanks, Haru..." Aang said in a dream-like sigh, and then grabbed his bag from a chair and worked his way up the auditorium steps. "I'll see you on Monday."

The boy walked the few dozen steps up the auditorium and grabbed a hold of the exit door, and just as he was opening it, another face was staring back at him from ajar. It almost made the boy jump backwards in unexpected surprise, seeing those big familiar brown eyes returning the same shocked face to him.

Aang blinked.

It was the girl he had seen from the very first day at school, back when he'd been filing out registration forms in the office. The boy had noticed her sitting in the back, taking notes quietly in a few of his classes as well._ What was her name? Anji? Onga?_

She gasped at the big silver eyes that had caught her in mid-entrance to the theatre, clutching a small notebook in front of her as if it were her signature armor. Her long bangs barely made her eyes noticeable, but as she stared at the boy with the red bandana... they gradually rose into a more intrigued, intense look. And her cheeks suddenly blushed a light pink color.

"On Ji? Hey, you're here!" Haru had called out from afar, making the young girl wince and look over that direction. "Listen, nobody else is set to come in for another 10 minutes, so you can start interviewing me now, if you want."

"Um...sure thing, Haru." The girl hesitated to even step into the doorway, as Aang still held it slightly open from the inside. Carefully the boy raised a curious brow as he moved the door entirely open for On Ji, and with a nervous glance back at him, the girl clutched her notebook tightly and ran down the stairs to meet with Haru. Her cheeks had been blushing almost into a red.

Aang looked over as On Ji began to talk to Haru, wondering why she'd acted so strangely to him just then. But before he could think more thoroughly about it, the boy shrugged and exited the theater, happily remembering the small kiss he gave the girl of his dreams.

He couldn't wait to see what Monday's cast list would reveal.

* * *

**A/N: I hope I captured the auditioning process credibly; it's fun, but man... it can be nerve-wrecking. Anyway, for the sake of shipping I'm gonna narrate about other kids as well, but Aang'll still be the main character. FYI: Praying Mantis was founded and is run by Fire Nation, but there are kids from every nation attending the school. Yes, _every _nation. wink --MM**


	9. Saturday Detention

"Aw... he went _that _far to audition for Shu?"

The girl with magnificently white hair giggled, as Katara told her what had happened during her play auditions with Aang yesterday. The two girls had both just finished their usual Saturday Water Tennis practice, and were carrying their backpacks out of the school's outer corridor towards the back of the school.

"Yue, it was adorable!" Katara giggled inevitably. "I really hope he gets it. He seems like such a great kid."

The afternoon sky had turned gray, as the girls noticed while they walked along the outside corridor, seeing rain droplets appearing on the concrete steps of the school.

"Oh dear. We better hurry towards the boating docks," Yue suggested, tugging at her friend's long-sleeved tennis jacket, but she saw how the girl was massaging her left wrist faithfully.

"Yeah, I know..." the girl with hairloops replied, somewhat subconsciously.

"How is your wrist feeling?" Yue asked in her graceful voice. "I'm sorry about the last whimsical move I gave to you..."

"No, it's not your fault." Katara looked up at her teammate then. "I've got to work on that left back hand slashing move. Man, it would be much easier if I were left-handed."

"Don't put too much pressure on yourself..." Yue then stated comfortably, smiling. "You just need to learn to think ahead."

"Our first match is in a couple of weeks!" the girl was still massaging her wrist, her voice turning into panic mode. "I don't think I can be ready for those whimsical moves by the Northern Tribe School. They're vicious..."

"Pardon?" Yue giggled musically at that reaction, pretending to be offended, lightly pushing her teammate aside.

"Haha... sorry." The Southern waterbender teased and giggled back at her, moving her wrist in a flexible manner to keep it from aching. As the two girls continued to walk along the corridor outiside in the rain, Katara turned her head slightly out into the yards. Her walking slowed down then, as something had caught her eye.

Something that looked remarkably like a young man sitting on the grass, hugging his legs, and letting the rain fall down on him without a sulking care in the world. Yue wondered why Katara had stopped walking all of a sudden, as she stared out into the distance.

The two girls didn't have to guess twice as to who it must have been. What made Yue gasp, though, was that her friend had not taken her concerned eyes off of that melancholy figure, sitting out in the rain. In fact, after a moment's hesitation... Katara stepped forward.

Yue gasped.

"...Katara, what are you doing? That's Zuko!" she squealed with concern, grabbing a hold of her teammate's shoulder. "He might burn your skin off."

The girl with hairloops turned her eyes, and gave a slight snorting laugh to comfort her friend... while on the inside... Katara was panicking with this sudden rush of bravery.

"Seriously, Yue, in the rain?" she turned back to look at the distant Zuko. "He probably just got out of detention... poor kid..."

"I know." Yue then said quietly, her graceful voice coming back as she looked over at Zuko's direction as well. "Oh, didn't you hear? He and Mai broke up a few days ago."

"What?" Katara blinked. From what she had remembered from last year, those two were rather inseparable...

"I don't know why... but Azula was taunting him about it during study hall yesterday," Yue looked at the ground, sympathetically. "She certainly seemed to enjoy that subject."

The Southern waterbender grunted uncontrollably. "Why does she always do that? Doesn't he have it bad enough?"

Yue saw that frustration in Katara's blue eyes, the way she was furrowing her eyes, upset. It always seemed to happen when anything pissed her off. And in Katara's own case... it usually would follow with actions.

"I'm gonna go talk to him."

Yue held her friend's shoulder tightly. "Katara, no! He's... he might be dangerous."

"Well, he's going to catch _pneumonia_ if he just sits out there," the girl stated sarcastically, moving a bit more forward to be out of Yue's grip.

Katara crossed her arms then, continuing to overlook her mission, and Yue could not help but stare outside as well, lingering... knowing there was no stopping her friend by this point.

"Are... you sure about this?" Yue attempted, and Katara sighed.

The two waterbenders had known this boy for years, and at least for one of them, it seemed that an understanding with him was far overdue... for the sake of his own survival. Katara flexed her fingers, knowing what she was up against.

"I'll be fine, Yue. Don't wait up for me; I can take the next ferryboat home."

Katara made an assuring nod, and Yue, with concern overtaking in her features, waved a quick hand over herself and manipulated the rain water over her head to slide away from her entire frame. As Yue stepped out into the rain, she waved a goodbye to her teammate and took off towards the boat dock with the rain shield waterbended by her other hand.

The other waterbender's ears continued to hear the clashing of raindrops in front of her, feeling its intensity and serenity at the same time. To be honest, Katara imagined peace from standing out in the rain, knowing that for waterbenders it was a relaxation, reminiscing technique... but Zuko was not a waterbender.

In fact, the young man's copper eyes practically screamed that he wanted little to do with that element. Why was he being so stupid?

With a small breath, Katara stepped out into the rain towards the young Firebender. One hand immediately waterbended a rain shield over her head. Her mouth was shivering from the cold rain, but also from the reluctance to speak up to the stubborn boy.

"Um... Zuko?" she called out finally, a few feet away from him.

"What do you want, peasant?"

The girl frowned. It was clear that he had recognized the voice.

"Zuko, it's pouring out here," Katara attempted patiently, slowly taking a few steps closer. "You're going to get sick--"

"_Leave me alone_," Zuko lashed with his raspy voice, moving his head slightly.

Katara blinked, frightened by the familiar traces of a scar on his face. But she didn't let that stop her from walking up to him, and shielding the rain from above his own head.

"Listen, I'm just trying to help... whatever it is, you can talk to me about--"

"SHUT UP!" Zuko growled, turning his upper body around to look straight at Katara in the eye. "What _is _it with you, and trying to befriend every _single freakin' kid _at this school!?"

The girl's eyes rose, gradually glimmering by those words as they came at her harshly. Zuko just looked at her, almost as if feeling sorry for her, and with a small groan he turned his head back towards the distance.

"Go find a puddle to drown in, peasant," he mumbled.

All of a sudden, Katara felt her stomach cave in with pain, unable to say anything back to him. She refused to cry, as much as her eyes glimmered to do otherwise, and she stepped back to let the rain pour down on Zuko again. But this time... she raised her other arm over her head and waterbended a huge gush of rainwater to hit Zuko's back like a torpedo.

"HEY!"

The boy jolted back around to face Katara, his teeth gritting with anger... balling his hands into firebending fists in the rain. Yet she stood there, still, unafraid of him. It wasn't because the water was clearly outdoing his element in that moment, but because Katara could see in his eyes... Zuko was trying to scare her off.

Still, that didn't prevent him from heating up with rage, having the layer of rain on his skin steam off right before the girl's eyes. He lanced a weak, fist-sized fireball near Katara, and the waterbender quickly jumped away from it, removing the rain shield from her head to place both her arms in a defensive position.

The rain was now falling on her as well, but Katara refused to get distracted by it, moving some of her long hair out of the way. Zuko stood up from the ground, his face still contorted with ferocity over nothing at all as he came to face her.

"You're acting_ ridiculous_, Zuko," Katara shouted over the rain, "and you're gonna make yourself sick."

"You think I care?" His reluctance came as far as to not listen to her persuasion. "_Get out of here!_"

Another weak fireball sped through the rain, aiming close (but not precisely) at the girl. Katara dodged it bravely, almost slipping from the wetness of the ground. She frowned to him as she regained herself, raising another waterbending arm at him... and summoned the rain around her to gush towards the stubborn young man.

But the boy was ready for this one, and he jumped away from it swiftly, launching a third fire ball at her through the thin sheets of rain. Katara motioned the same arm downwards, and gushed it useless with rainwater.

"When are you going to quit being so stupid? You're _better _than this, Zuko."

Faint roars of thunder suddenly sounded over their heads, distinctly making the two of them look up towards the sky. The girl swallowed her pride, not minded her worrisome features then. Zuko, on the other hand, remained indifferent.

"This doesn't concern you, peasant."

"Will you _please _stop calling me _peasant_?" She retorted at him, involuntarily letting the rain around her splash out in frustration. But after a small sigh, the girl came back to her senses.

"It's Katara; you've known that for years... and maybe I _am_ trying to help you."

Zuko's eyes hid from the damp locks of his hair, as the rain was falling on them harder now. He moved his body slightly away from the girl, wanting to return to his own melancholy.

"You don't understand."

"You're not _letting _me understand." Katara acknowledged the rain on her once again, raising an arm slightly to shield herself from the cold rain. "What the hell is bothering you? Is it Mai?"

More thunder broke the girl's words, and both kids had absentmindedly shrugged at the harsh sound that came from the gray clouds. The boy still refused to respond, or even look at her.

But the girl felt quite the opposite, because now it felt like she had made herself too involved. Maybe it was her stubbornness, or the fact that she felt sorry for him, and couldn't bear to leave a familiar face alone in the rain and thunder. Whatever the reason, Katara let the seconds pass out in the rain, glancing at him empathetically as he kept silent, letting the sounds of harsh raindrops bring bitterness and pain between the two of them.

And then, from what must've been a miracle from the water spirits themselves... the boy turned his head back to look at Katara. His expression looked anything but threatening, and the girl kept her eyes steadily on him.

"Come on..." she said quietly. "Let's get out of the rain."

The young man clenched his fists once, perhaps out of an inner frustration he was still battling in his mind... but he moved his entire body back around and slowly walked to her. He was too upset... perhaps too ashamed... to meet her sympathetically blue eyes. As he passed her, frowning his face, and headed towards the roofed courtyards of the school, Katara watched him sadly, following shortly thereafter.

He found shelter in the gothic outside corridor of the school, where the gymnasium lockers and auditorium met the school's academic building. Katara ran up the stairwell and then released her rain shield from over her head. Zuko sat at the first step of the stairwell, leaning his back against a wall as he stared out at the rain, but Katara's concern now was to get dry.

With a stern, concentrating look to her face, Katara began to remove the rainwater from her tennis clothes with a few waterbending movements of her hands. It didn't take all that long, but at the corner of her eye, she'd noticed how Zuko had shyly glanced at her drying mechanism, and Katara grunted.

Boys, in spite of anything, would be boys.

When she felt she couldn't summon any more miniscule droplets, the waterbender let the dampness of the air keep her warm, while she watched Zuko unsuccessfully keep his upper body from shivering. His arms were crossed, his hands cupping his knees while the light layer of water on his skin slowly evolved into steam. But it did nothing to help his soaking clothes.

"I can dry you up a little, if you want," Katara offered sincerely.

It wasn't long before Zuko looked up to acknowledge the voice he had heard, and with his arms still shaking, he carefully got up from the stair and moved closer to where the girl was standing. As he stopped only inches away, he was more interested in the ground, than looking her in the eye. The girl concentrated fully, trying to maintain a professional presence to the boy who was so reluctant with her.

"Just stay still..." she said to him, and Zuko stood by her without question, taking note of the small height difference between them. Closing his eyes, he listened to the rain while he felt the heaviness of his wet clothes lighten from waterbending movements. He felt the inside pockets of his cargo pants, the collar of his red shirt... it all wasn't completely dry, but it did help.

Zuko opened his eyes again, and noticed how Katara had her eyes closed as her fingers weaved the floating strands of water that came from his shirt. The entire thing looked rather grotesque, but the boy gave a rare smile, wondering how she must've closed her eyes to make the entire process seem less awkward.

Funny really, how he'd known the girl for so long, and yet they still seemed to regard each other as strangers.

The boy sighed quietly, feeling warmer as the rainwater was slowly leaving his system, and Katara then stepped back with her eyes open, quickly releasing the water out into the yard. Zuko gripped the edges of his jacket, bravely moving his eyes to meet Katara's as she turned to him.

"Thank you," he rasped quietly, and the comforting girl just looked at him for a second.

Slowly, Katara shrugged a 'you're welcome' to her schoolmate, with a smile.

* * *

"What do you think you're doing?"

Jet blinked as the husky, firm voice of a girl pierced the silence of the empty school hallway, and he turned his head from the mural on the wall to the distant eyes of its creator.

Saturday detention made moments like this worthwhile.

The young man didn't bother to hide the paintbrush he was holding eerily in his hand, nor did he hesitate to smile at the pale-looking girl with one of his mysterious, plotting grins. He knew that she took great responsibility and care for her artwork... and seeing someone lean over so closely to a piece? That made her nervous. Speculative, that someone might sabotage it.

"I'm trying to figure out what this piece is expressing about you," he spoke to Mai cooly, tightening his smile at her.

"All these cubes... solid shapes you painted probably means that you're well aware of who you are, and you're not afraid of how people see you."

Mai's figure from the shadows in the distant hallway seemed to get more distinctive as she approached the critical Jet, letting her narrowing eyes threaten the young man with all of her bitterness. The young man continued.

"...but, you see, I'm a little confused. Because you painted the shapes from solid, straight figures and morphed them into softer, wave-like shapes by the very end of the wall..."

"What's your point?" Mai asked flatly, keeping her expressionless-yet-concerned face at him.

"I'm just saying..." Jet took a small step forward, his calm demeanor hiding the skipping heartbeats beneath his chest, "...that it looks like these shapes are trying to go through a metamorphosis..."

Mai winced, and crossed her arms belligerently. The fact that this boy was trying to impress her with big words was utterly annoying.

"...but I'm not sure the painter is letting these cubes and prisms set themselves free."

Jet gave the young woman a challenging look, as if he were expecting an argument or a belittling comment back from her, but her pale face remained the same. He knew she would reply with an apathetic sigh, and could bet his week's lunch on the next word that would escape her pretty mouth.

"Whatever."

Jet shook his head; he'd known her that much.

"They're just shapes to me..." Mai let out a dramatic sigh of boredom. "I don't care."

The boy couldn't help but furrow his eyebrows at her, studying her indifference. "Oh really?"

He turned his frame back towards the mural that was enveloping the wall with color, replacing his sense of criticism with a playful waving of a paintbrush he held in his hand. Much to Mai's surprise, a small set of paints suddenly came into existence as the young man immediately reached into his cargo pant pocket.

"...then I guess you wouldn't mind if I _fixed_ this painting of yours a little, would you?"

He didn't even bother to give a last-minute glance at Mai as he fully turned around to let the dry brush run loose against the canvas of the wall for a practicing gesture.

Jet had barely looked down to open his small paint box... when something flew swiftly across his vision to pin his arm sleeve against the opposite wall. It had passed without a moment's notice and brought a sense of alarm to his skin no greater than a papercut, but enough to send the young man's thoughts to deadly oblivion.

As he looked from the thin paintbrush pinned on his sleeve, back to the young woman who'd thrown it with such natural precision... Jet knew that his instincts had been right all along.

"Don't you dare try to fix _anything_," came the girl's husky voice, as swift as the paintbrush she'd lanced to him.

The surprise didn't come from the girl's deadly reflexes, nor from that vague threat she had brought to the young man. What ended up fascinating Jet right then and there... was how her eyelids had slightly risen up for a fraction of a second, as if that pinning reaction of hers had not been intentional.

Jet sighed, smiling kindly to Mai, without any sense of threat as he finally knew just how much these paintings meant to her. It was something that he had been _counting _on, something that he had been hoping to figure out truthfully about her for a very long time.

Slowly, carefully, the boy pulled at the sharp end of the paintbrush that kept him attached to the wall. As he managed to walk up to Mai casually, he said "Hey, I was just trying to help..." and handed her the small paintbrush, along with his own.

"Just leave." Mai retorted flatly, quietly.

The girl received the paintbrushes with a quick snatch, frowning at the young man who'd dared to sabotage her mural. She couldn't understand how this boy was taking it so plainly, whereas any other young man would have tripped over his own feet by her fierce, almost lifeless gaze.

Instead, before he walked away... the boy simply bowed his head to her with a sincere amount of respect, as if she were something more of a girl. Something more mysterious, and surreal.

Something that he would give his life to get closer to.

* * *

**A/N: No, Kataangers, I have not betrayed you! But don't think that I've set anything in stone just yet... let me remind you that this is, in fact, a high school universe. Bear with me. --MM**


	10. Cast List

"Excuse me. Please, _excuse me... _is it up yet?"

Aang struggled to push his way into the crowd that Monday morning, cursing himself on how the Avatar's philosophy stated to be patient and polite with those around him, by all means. He didn't even finish his breakfast meeting with Monk Gyatso, on the excuse that he really, _really _wanted to be the first to know which parts he and Katara had received for _The Tale of Omashu_... and if fate were on his side... he desired so much to tell her the news.

Too bad the school's bulletin board was located inside the busiest courtyards of the school, and too bad Aang had already established himself as being just an amateur Earthbender, instead of having the open air let him glide above all the students towards the front. Aang couldn't remember a stronger time when he'd wished to be taller. Even by an inch.

He barely slept that entire weekend, meditating... imagining how wonderful it would be if the opportunity came, to kiss the pretty waterbender he had been so lucky to meet.

"Aang, you won't believe it... _I'm Eastern Warrior #2!_"

Sokka's face was beaming as he excitingly pushed the familiar airbender out of the crowd, hugging him with his lanky arms. Aang would've returned the hug immediately, had he not been too disappointed about getting pushed further away from the cast list.

"And Suki's the_ Wife of Eastern Warrior #2. _I'm telling you... it's fate." The young water tribesman could not keep the smile from disappearing from his face.

"That's great, Sokka," the boy smiled and tried to breathe at the same time. "Um... did you happen to see my name on there?"

"Aw man... I was so excited, I totally forgot to look..." Sokka scratched his head embarrassingly, with a slight blush in his cheeks. "But hey, I'm gonna go find Suki and tell her the news! I can't wait!"

Aang sighed as the young man left out of the courtyard, then turning around to face the massive crowd of kids waiting to see their names on the list. He had no idea there were _so many _people interested in _the-a-tre _at this school, and as his eyes took note of the dozens of girls and boys clumped around the billboard, Aang's hopes of finding his name and Katara's name at the very top of the list had dwindled.

But then again, he thought... perhaps he and she would be Eastern Warrior and Wife #1? Aang cheeks began to warm themselves up again as he made his way into the crowd. That wouldn't be too bad.

As he pushed deeper into each layer of kids, the boy's heart began to beat fast, overhearing the comments that other students were making around him...

_Aang? Who's Aang?_

_Isn't he the kid with the red bandana in Toph's class?_

_Wait, the tennis player and the_ new kid _gets the leads this year? Pssh... Haru's crazy._

Aang fought the urge of leaping above the crowd in airbending style in order to hide the amount of excitement that was brewing in him. All he needed was proof... names on the list written in black and white... that everything he heard was not his imagination simply playing tricks on him.

Finally, with a short stumble to the front of the billboard, he breathlessly read through the names on the cast list with an index finger... skimming through the entire list twice before stopping to look at the two names at the very top:

_The Tale of Omashu_

_-directed by Haru_

_Shu... Aang_

_Oma... Katara _

"WOOOOOHOOOOO!" The boy had never felt more up in the air than that moment, feeling all the blood rush through his body to almost make his limbs dance uncontrollably. Kids were turning their heads at the kid who must've been Aang, seeing him tap his feet with much enthusiasm, but he didn't care. He could have had small rocks thrown at him, but Aang wouldn't have felt a thing, because all he could feel were the sweet, gentle lips of a girl who'd claimed his heart with her radiant blue eyes.

"Yep, that's me! Aang, the Eastern Warrior loverboy! _Thank you, Spirits of the Universe_!!"

"Aang, who are you talking to?"

The boy opened his eyes to find none other than the girl of his dreams, staring back at him amusingly. A hand was holding her cheek shyly, distracted by this young boy's antics to even look over to the list and understand his excitement. Suddenly, just looking at Katara's pretty lips and her gazing eyes made the boy ultimately to nervous to continue his happy dance, and he stopped in mid-stance, laughing himself back to normal. He gestured for her to check the cast list, too bashful to say anything out loud.

He noticed how some students crowded near them were whispering, giggling a little, as they saw the two leads of their school play have an awkward silence with one another. Katara's eyes rose surprisingly, then skeptically, but it wasn't until Aang watched her blush and smile over to him, that the boy knew she was just as excited as he.

"Wow!" Katara went over to Aang and hugged him, still adjusting to the shock. "I... I didn't think that... what was Haru_ thinking_?"

"You're going to be a great Oma, Katara." Aang nodded to her as their hug parted.

"But I've never acted before in my _life!_" Katara was still blushing, playing a little bit with her hair to hide the numerous thoughts running through her head. She couldn't meet Aang's eyes, then. "I was just expecting a small part... but not... not the _lead._"

"Hey, this is new for me, too, but it'll be fun!" Aang kept his voice sincere and comforting, seeing how Katara had suddenly fallen under a lot of stress."I think we'll be great together."

Aang felt his hopeful heart practically skip a beat, smiling. The crowd of kids were still giggling at the two young actors, but Aang stuck his tongue out comically at them, all of a sudden feeling that he had all the power in the world... not caring what other kids thought about him.

Katara laughed at that, and Aang's eyes glistened admiringly at them. It was like all of a sudden, these two people had grown closer by the matter of seconds they stood there, seeing a simple cast list posted on the board. With a slow breath to calm herself down, Katara then shook her head amusingly, letting the blush fade from her cheeks.

"So the first cast meeting's today after school?" She said, clearly wanting to change the subject. "I have to talk to Haru about this... I usually have Water Tennis practice after school."

Aang's eyes suddenly lost their glimmer. "What? You mean you can't make it to the meeting?"

"Well, no... Water Tennis takes up a lot of my time after school. I'm going to try and balance both things out... but yikes... I mean do I get an understudy or anything?"

"A what?" the boy looked confused, but Katara immediately checked the list again. Aang watched her finger run through it sadly.

"Oh yeah, here! On Ji's playing a Villager, and she's also my understudy! She'll be around whenever I can't make it to practice."

Aang blinked. _On Ji? _That name must have slipped through his finger, but as he approached the bottom of the list, there it was... also written in black and white.

_Villager, Oma u/s... On Ji_

Did this mean that, if something happened, he'd have to kiss another girl he barely even knew? _No way... _he thought. Although it was the Avatar's philosophy that told him to not judge others without getting to know them, Aang could not help but see On Ji as the enemy to his desire. Only she had the power to prevent him from kissing Katara, and to the boy's mind, that was worse than any deadly deed.

Out of instinct, Aang checked the list to see if he himself had an understudy, and indeed he did.

_Eastern Warrior #4, Shu u/s... Kuzon_

Not only was Aang gradually learning more and more about _the-a-tre_ and its system, but he felt secure to know that if something happened with Katara's dedication to the play, Aang would not feel so ashamed to quit as well. After all... he was only doing this to be close to the lovely girl with hairloops, right?

"Don't worry, I'll tell you what you missed in the meeting." Aang said humbly to Katara, and she grinned a 'thank you' to him, right as the first class gong sounded from the school grounds.

"Oh!" Katara flinched, remembering something else. "I forgot; I have to find Zuko before first period... sorry Aang. But yeah, please let me know how the meeting went!"

Aang's ears caught the name _Zuko_ like a clash of thunder as it passed the girl's lips, and his face saddened slightly, realizing that their time have been cut short. He remembered that boy well, coming out of Vice Principal Zhao's office that first day... but the boy refused to wonder why Katara had promised to meet with him that day.

But the boy was still hopeful... he could practically see the opening night of the play already, kissing Katara without any trace of hesitation. It was the Avatar's code of honor to not take things with pride, nor with any sense of envy towards another human being... but the boy's feelings were so hopeful in that moment, and fate had been on his side... Aang could only see a standing ovation ahead of him.

"What's the matter with you, Twinkle Toes? _Be rock-like!_"

Gym class had barely started, and Aang's thoughts about Katara and Zuko had taken themselves into an unimaginable level. He wondered if it was just talking that Katara had done... or if it involved her lips pressing close to Zuko's in a very intimate way. _No... _he thought... _it couldn't be. Zuko, the estranged, sulky kid with the scar? He didn't deserve to breathe the same _air_ as Katara, much less be close to her..._

"OW!" Aang felt a fist-sized rock hit him across the shoulder, looking over at Toph as she stood, as if waiting for him to attack her in a menacing way.

"What's with you today? You're letting me beat you faster than usual."

Aang sighed and caressed his shoulder though the thick padding he wore. "Nothing... I just... I was just thinking about that pop quiz that Mr. Pakku gave us in Math class– "

"Kid, what did I say about lying?" Toph clicked her tongue with disappointment, amazed how she didn't even need her Earthbending to see through this kid's hesitancy. "Aw... do you have a crush on a girl?"

Aang blinked. How in the _world _was she so good?

"I sure hope it isn't me. Blegh." Toph made a disgusted face, and laughed as she fused more gravel onto her body to approach Aang menacingly. "Though I'd sure like to see Teo kick your butt over me, fighting for me. You manly men and your fights..."

Toph aggressively approached Aang as a boulder without any remorse, but the boy grit his teeth in his calm, yet very stressed-out manner.

"It's–not–you, Toph," he managed to say between his struggling grip, part of him trying to avoid any further conversation about the matter. Slowly, he made a quick shove forward and managed to give the rough girl somewhat of a challenge.

"Hah, so there _is _someone you like." Toph snickered, stomping with a foot to let the gravel collapse back to the ground. "Don't worry, I won't press you on it."

Aang felt a rush of relief then, knowing full well that if Toph really wanted to know, she would definitely, physically push him until he said something. "Thanks."

"No sweat, Twinkle Toes," the girl wiped the remaining gravel from her shoulders, and got her feet in an Earthbending position, ready to stomp some flying boulders at Aang. "But just to warn you... love is really overrated."

"What? But wait a minute... you, and Teo..."

"I know I know..." Toph blushed and stuck her tongue, immediately stomping her foot and elevating a rock in front of her, "...but he and I don't make the center of our _universe."_

Aang narrowed his eyes and managed to leap over the rock as it came at him, letting his weight sit on the elevated rock and promptly shoving it back to solid ground with his body. Toph laughed, impressed at how this kid's had such quick study, but a lousy soft side.

"Hey, what makes you think it's the only thing I think about?" Aang questioned her, standing up from the rock in straight posture.

"Kid, I don't even have to look at you... I can practically hear it in your voice." Toph stomped another small rock for elevation, kicking it immediately with less of a warning to the boy. Aang took in a breath and dodged it by ducking his upper body.

"_Ow," _Apparently it hit one of the other Earthbender players from behind, and Toph quickly shouted a 'sorry, dude!' to the young man.

Aang took in another breath and looked at Toph with frustrated eyes. He wanted to admit that he did not think about Katara _all the time, _but as he looked back at his first week of school... how his words would stutter every time he saw her pass by the hallways, how he almost choked on his rice milk when she asked him how he liked the school so far, and how his answer to Mr. Jeong Jeong's definition of _onomatopoeia_ was "the art of making hairloops–"... it all seemed to point to the obvious.

"Take it from someone who couldn't care less about lovey dovey crap..." Toph smiled again, but surprisingly with a blush forming in her cheeks. "Whatever happens, happens. You just gotta trust it, and go with it like gravel, because if it doesn't work out... no big deal, because you've made a friend anyway."

"Haha, really?" Aang thought in wonderment, practically teasing Toph with another question as he himself strived to stomp the ground with a small elevating rock. "So... if things ended between you and Teo... you wouldn't shed a tear, huh?"

Promptly, the boy punched his fist to the rock and launched it towards the young girl, but Toph stood her fearless ground, barely touching the rock with a single palm as it shattered to pieces.

"Watch it, Twinkle Toes," came her smile, along with an even brighter shade of blush on her cheeks.

Aang laughed, feeling much more comfortable about this kind of talk, and surprised that it seemed to come from the toughest girl he had ever met. All of a sudden those intense thoughts about Zuko and Katara talking together didn't seem to bother him very much.


	11. Meeting

"Um... hey everyone! Yeah so please, please take a seat... and thanks for coming to our first cast meeting of _The Tale of Omashu._"

Aang was sitting next to Suki and Sokka on the first row of the auditorium, but he was certain that even the kids in the back rows could also hear the shakiness in Haru's projecting voice. There must've been forty students in that theater, and it was clear that Haru was not much of a public speaker.

"Most of you already know me, but I'll just introduce myself again... I'm Haru... and this is my first time directing a show... ever... so thanks again for auditioning, guys... I can't tell you how excited I am..."

He went on to provide a monologue about how he had loved theatre since he was a little kid, and didn't think he was cut out to being a great actor... until two years ago, when he had decided to walk in and audition for Mr. Jeong Jeong's original one-act called _Fire: the Blessing of a Curse_... and how his strong determination gave him the lead role as a reluctant Firebender. He added the details on what it was like during those rehearsals... and telling the story seemed to calm Haru's uneasiness about leading the first meeting, but as much as it sounded inspirational, some kids in the background were beginning to whisper another conversation off-topic. Even in the front row, Suki had to nudge Sokka on the shoulder to keep him from snoring asleep.

Aang, on the other hand, took in every word of the Earthbender's story, while every other minute he was turning his head towards the entrance door, wondering if a particular girl with hairloops had decided to skip her Water Tennis practice.

"_Anyway,_ the point is..." Haru finally concluded with complete ease, "Acting is a lot of fun, but rehearsals need to be taken seriously. I know that some of you have done some theatre before... but this always has to be done with a team effort. If you slack off with your line memorization, or if you don't show up to practice, that doesn't just affect you... it affects everyone else in the play as well. Okay? _Chan? Ruon Jian?_"

Haru was calling up to the group of kids still talking amongst themselves at the back of the theatre, and they immediately stopped at the harsh, assertive sound of Haru's voice. Aang noticed that one of them had been that girl named Ty Lee, who had been leaning her face so close to an unknown young man, that they must've been ready to make out. Suddenly, Aang turned his head back to the stage, feeling uncomfortable.

Once he got their attention, the young girl named On Ji suddenly got up from her seat, holding a large box with both arms, and moved towards the front of the audience to stand next to Haru. She was smiling out to the audience, and all of a sudden Aang didn't know which way he should turn his head to calm the inner anxiety he was feeling. Instead, his eyes looked straight down to the floor, and Sokka wondered what the hell was going on with the kid, since he didn't look at all excited about having the lead.

"This is On Ji, by the way..." Haru exclaimed to everyone, and Aang frowned... as if saying he knew that name well enough, thank you. "...she's playing one of the villagers, and she's gonna be my stage manager for the show–"

"_Ooooooh, Stage Manager..." _came the voice of Chan from the very back, and On Ji fought the urge of blushing with a slight frown to her face. "_I get it, I get it. She'll manage... your stage."_

"Shut up, Chan!" Sokka turned his head to the back of the audience, and Aang noticed the disgusted look on his face.

"Chan, we don't need any of your dirty jokes right now..." Haru was frowning as well, but a bit unsure of how to handle this particular situation, since it was obvious that the kids were slowly getting bored and restless out there in the audience. He placed a comforting hand onto On Ji's shoulder and continued.

"I just wanted to say that this girl's gonna be helping me with the schedule of rehearsals, any reminders or last-minutes bits of news... and eventually she'll be running all the back-stage duties... so if you have any scheduling conflicts, please go to her. She's the most punctual girl I know."

"_Haha... punctual..._" came another voice from the back of the audience.

"_Shut up_, Hide!" Haru bellowed, and a few of the students laughed from his quick reaction. Strangely, On Ji seemed to be getting used to all those jokes, keeping a stern face about her.

Aang heard her clear her throat, and promptly, he heard her familiar voice take existence once again. "Okay, so I made a copy of the script for each of you to take home today... and I attached next week's rehearsal schedule for all of you to keep."

On Ji set the box down to the floor and began to take out thick packets of paper, one by one, letting the first row of students pass them down to along the seats of the back rows.

As she did so, Haru continued to speak.

"_Please_ write you names down on these scripts, guys. And don't forget to start high-lighting your lines today."

Aang looked at each packet as he passed them over to Sokka, and every so often he was able to glimpse at some pages in the script... realizing that just about every one of them had dialogue for Shu. He not fathom how in the world he was going to _memorize_ so many lines, or worse... how he would be able to remember all of them in front of Katara!

Finally, all the packets had been passed out, and Aang was leafing through his own script, feeling his eyes get dizzier and dizzier by the many lines that were supposed to be Shu's. As he looked at the rehearsal schedule in the front... he wasn't surprised to see that Oma and Shu were being asked to come in every single day, along with their understudies.

"Alright, well that's pretty much all I had for you guys today... _please_ look at the rehearsal schedule and jot down when you need to be here!" Haru placed a lot more emphasis on that last topic with his voice, before clapping his hands for a dismissal. "Thanks, everyone!"

At that a chorus of student voices erupted lightly as they got up from their seats and started packing up to leave the auditorium. Aang saw On Ji lift the empty box while handing a few extra scripts over to the director, as he was putting his papers together on the stage.

"Oh wait, Sokka..." Haru then called out to his classmate as he was talking to Suki and approached him with a script. "Since Katara couldn't be here today, would you mind giving her this?"

"Yeah, sure thing– " Sokka responded simply, receiving the script at hand, and it made Aang's heart jump suddenly with an idea.

"I can give it to her!"

Aang heard his young voice say this cheerfully, making Sokka flinch over to him with slight surprise.

"But she's at water tennis practice right now..." Sokka said carefully to the boy, whose silver eyes seemed to grow wider and wider every second.

"Don't worry, I can give it to her the next time I see her!" Aang said promptly, which made Suki look over at the boy, mesmerized by his determination.

"But...she's my sister... _I see her every day!" _Sokka was getting a little freaked out by the way Aang was looking at him so hopefully, that he looked over at Suki. She was trying hard not to giggle at this adorable little kid, and her eyes told him that he should just follow along with what the boy wanted. Sokka sighed, with a slight gurgle of disgust.

"Ugh, whatever. Here you go..."

"Thanks!" Aang received that script like it was a passing of a certain torch of approval.

Sokka and Suki left the auditorium hand-in-hand, and Aang wondered if he was bound to have moments like that this year, with a certain lovely girl with hairloops.

He tied his red bandana more securely, straightening himself up to finally leave, when suddenly a young boy with dark jaw-length hair and Fire Nation garb approached him. His eyes were tainted light brown, and he didn't look more than thirteen as he smiled and waved awkward hello to the airbender.

"You're Aang, right?"

The boy with the bandana raised an eyebrow at the question, then promptly nodded his head as he lifted his school bag to his shoulder.

"I'm Kuzon," the other young boy returned soon after, extending a hand. "I guess I'm your understudy..."

Aang wasn't exactly sure to feel about this, knowing that this kid's sole purpose was to prepare for the worst case scenario... possibly becoming the new Shu with the opportunity to kiss the love of Aang's life. But the airbender smiled nonetheless, remembering Gyatso's recitation of their philosophy... _you should not judge people before you get to know them. _

Calmly, the boy shook hands with his understudy, in his mind telling himself that he should take extra caution with his health and well-being, for the sake of Katara.

"Pleased to meet you," Aang said humbly. "Though I should warn you, I hardly ever get sick. I'm also a nutritious vegetarian!"

"Um... that's nice...?" Kuzon replied, slightly puzzled as he released his hand and put both of them back in his pockets. "I wasn't really expecting a big part like that, but I guess it'll help my memorization skills; maybe it'll help me study for Ms. Ursa's exams?"

As the two kids began to exchange comments about Ms. Ursa's history class, they seemed to agree that the class was utterly boring, but having a lovely lady like Ms. Ursa teach it did not seem to make it all that bad. They left the auditorium seeming to understand each other, and Aang was glad that the boy didn't see Shu as competition.

On Ji was going up the auditorium steps to get her things, and as the two boys past her, Aang could see through the bangs in front of her eyes that she wanted to say something. Whether it was meant to be for Kuzon or to him, the airbender couldn't tell... but the young boy figured that if they were all going to be working closely together... they might as well get along.

"Great job handling those stupid boys up there," Aang commented, admiring her courage.

"Thanks, " On Ji muttered, she held her black schoolbag over her shoulder, all of a sudden becoming interested in her shoes. "Chan and Ruon Jian are such second-graders sometimes. Them... and Hide."

"Mm-Hmm." Kuzon agreed, sounding as if he'd known those boys for as much as On Ji did. The three of them walked up the remaining steps of the auditorium together, waving a goodbye to Haru as he was still packing up to leave. "Hey, didn't you and Hide go out for a while last year? What happened to that?"

Aang blinked. _Did he hear that clearly?_ He was trying to remember that face of the young troublemaker... who had not a half-hour ago been caught practically making out with Ty Lee in the back of the auditorium. _On Ji _dated _that guy?_

"Yeah..." On Ji was not at all comfortable to look at the boys' faces as she walked up with them, feeling a sense of regret in her voice. "He seemed nice at the time, and... I don't know... with all the attention he gave me, I guess I couldn't help it. It's hard to explain, but he did seem to like me for a while."

The kids left the auditorium for the outside courtyard, and Aang noticed On Ji's brown eyes fighting off the urge to glimmer with tears. He wondered what sort of terrible thing Hide had done to her to make her feel this way. The two boys listened as the girl finished her story, with her eyes still looking at the ground.

"But then I caught Hide kissing one of the older girls under the bleachers after a water tennis match last year, and... well I guess I wasn't the kind of girl he wanted."

"Aw, that stupid kid... On Ji..." Kuzon consoled her, giving her a slight hug with one of his skinny arms at her side, while Aang just frowned thinking about that incident. Much to their surprise, On Ji did not seem to weep... but from her composure, Aang could tell she was still recovering from that heartache. "I'm sorry; it must've been a long summer."

On Ji just laughed it off. "Not really," the young girl smiled faintly, receiving the hug from her classmate. "I forced myself to forget about it by staying busy. The sort of the thing I'm doing this year... with exams, the school newspaper, interpretive dance, _Omashu_... you know?"

Aang smiled with support, but the way she spoke so optimistically so suddenly bugged him; and as he looked over at Kuzon's puzzled look, he knew he had to say something.

"That's great, On Ji, but are you _sure _that--?"

"Anyway, I'm heading over to Ms. Ursa's review session for our History test next Wednesday," her voice changed the subject in a flash. "Did either of you want to come? She said there would be snacks."

Kuzon and Aang exchanged looks for a second, and the young airbender immediately remembered how he wanted to give Katara her script after she was done with her water tennis practice that day. He hesitated a little, feeling his stomach rumble with hunger as he scratched the back of his neck in thought.

Finally he said what he felt. "Sorry... I was actually gonna go to the water tennis courts."

The girl smiled and nodded, knowing that the boy meant well. But Kuzon then flinched, realizing he was still hugging On Ji at her side: "Um, I guess I can go with you...?"

On Ji laughed, feeling a little bit better after such an awkward conversation and hugged him classmate tightly with her own arm. "Thanks, Kuzon. We'll see you later, Aang!"

"See you guys!"

Aang waved a hand holding the script to his two newly-made friends as they headed off towards the school building, laughing with disbelief as he heard Kuzon's voice say "what kind of snacks did Ms. Ursa say she'd have?" in the distance. It was hard thinking about Toph's words of wisdom about love... when all the boy was anticipating was to see the warm smile of Katara as he would hand her the _Omashu _script.

As he passed a familiar oak tree, he noticed that Smellerbee, Pipsqueak and Longshot had also decided to stay after school, rehearsing a certain hip-hop dance routine that Aang had watched them do every single lunch period that week. The airbender happily found Momo lurking on the branches of that oak tree and hurried over to pick him up and greet his friends briefly.

"Hey kid," Smellerbee greeted indifferently as she stopped her dancing momentarily.

Aang smiled and waved, already feeling more welcome into the oak tree clan. "I didn't know you guys practiced after school, too."

Pipsqueak stretched his arm muscles, saying "We don't usually... but there's a Hip Hop festival in Gaoling this weekend, and we wanted to show the critics what Praying Mantis High has to offer."

"Yep, _represent!!_" Smellerbee threw a fist in the air happily, and Longshot walked over to hug her enthusiasm with one arm around her stomach playfully. The girl'd deep eyeliner and make-up could not hide the glimmering or the blushing in her cheeks.

Aang all of a sudden felt awkward and turned back to Pipsqueak entirely, as Momo jumped off the treebranch nearby and landed lightly on the boy's shoulder.

"So where's Jet?" the boy asked, looking around. "Isn't he part of the routine?"

Pipsqueak wasn't the only one who reacted so discomforting at the question, since Aang could see behind him that Longshot had also looking utterly annoyed.

Smellerbee spoke for them all, with her mouth slightly tilting for a frown. "He's not coming."

Aang could not follow. "Why? Is he okay?"

The girl crossed her arms as if she were upset or disappointed, looking at the ground as if she were about to stomp on it violently with her Hip Hop movements.

"He's fine; he's just planning out his funeral."

And the airbender raised an eyebrow at that, wondering what Smellerbee was talking about.

* * *

"May I help you?"

Her annoyed, grimacing tone of voice couldn't have been more clear, hearing the familiar strut of a young man approach her from the corner of her eye. A small canvas was set up properly in the school courtyard near the vast woods of the Earth Kingdom, and Mai sat there on a smooth stone, pretending that this young man had not broken her concentration.

"Actually I was just wondering..." Jet began coolly as he approached the side of her canvas, catching a glimpse of the work before settling his nervous gaze on Mai. "... do you take commissions?"

Mai blinked from her canvas immediately over to Jet, with disbelief. "Excuse me?"

"I'm serious," Jet held a hand over his heart, showing that he wasn't making fun of her. "I've been thinking about getting my portrait painted, in black. It _does_ seem to be your favorite color, coincidentally..."

"Go away," Mai finally heard herself say clearly to the young man's face, but all too bewildered to look at him straight in the eye. From the way Jet had noticed it, she seemed to be looking at the back of his head, but nevertheless... the boy could feel his boldness draining.

"Okay, I'm sorry if the color thing offended you," Jet's charismatic voice went down a few notches, but he still managed to add a suggestion. "But I was just saying that... I'd be honored if you could paint my portrait."

Of course, Jet had _no idea _what he would do with a painting of himself, but in all honesty that didn't really matter. He continued to speak as the girl's copper eyes studied him skeptically, letting the small seconds pass by sweetly.

"I'm picturing... me, with a giant Platypus Bearskin hanging over my shoulder like a cape... looking out into the Eastern Sunrise..." Jet then promptly took hold of his most prized weapons and held them out with a fierce waving motion. "... with my hooked swords tilted upwards, like I'm ready for battle."

Mai was already leaning her head onto a palm with disbelief, boredom, and perhaps the sincere belief that this young man was indeed a nutcase. With all of that determination he had to try and talk her out of her afternoon painting session... he had to be.

"What do you think?" Jet asked her, raising his eyes slightly as his hooked swords remained as if they were ready to battle the sky.

The slender, dark girl could not take any more of this ridiculous talk, and with her copper eyes thinning, she turned back towards the canvas to remember why she was there. Perhaps picking up her paintbrush again would be enough to make him leave...

"Sorry, but I don't sell out to other people's requests," she answered him indifferently. "And I think that's a stupid idea."

Jet frowned with mocking disbelief, replacing his hooked swords back into the respective shield.

"Way to be brutally honest...but I completely agree," he exclaimed and smiled to ease the tension he was feeling in his mind, and the shaking he was sensing in his knees. His newest plan was just beginning to brew, looking over to Mai's canvas once again to see what she was painting.

Mai brooded, lowering her paintbrush down once again to look at Jet. "Are you finished?"

The boy wasn't looking at the canvas anymore, but at the young girl's eyes as she stared at him so threateningly like that. His mind was urging him to pour out his feelings to her right then and there... telling her how much he adored those pretty thin lips and those radiant eyes that stayed hidden from the rest of the world behind her silky black bangs.

He was amazed that he'd built enough courage to just talk to her, despite being naturally bold individual... Mai always seemed to outrun him, and he knew... his heart knew that it was not the time to overwhelm her with feelings, especially since they had barely exchanged conversation. Jet had to find some way of getting through to her as his own self... without having him be rejected every single time... so that she could finally get to know this young Earth-dweller.

"Actually, I had another question..." Jet proposed obscurely to her, admiring how she sighed in return. "Do you always paint with just black ink?"

"No," was Mai's simple reply, taking out a fresh little glass cartridge of blue ink from one of her hidden pant pockets.

Jet waited a few moments for further explanation, but when seeing that she was once again trying to ignore him, he decided keep talking. "That's a shame... because trees are so much more colorful than that."

Mai did not seem to enjoy undulation or curves of detail in her paintings, and yet there was something so fascinating about them. The way she portrayed those tall Redwoods of the Earth Kingdom emphasized in vertical lines... almost mimicking the straightness of Mai's own hair. She added branches and leaves by the use of dots and smaller lines that corresponded to the most minimal detail that Jet had ever scene. Her technique reminded him of watercolors, except that she only used a few select colors, and she placed most of the artistic imagination to the viewer.

It was this simplicity that made Mai an artistic prodigy. Jet could practically _see _the leaves of the tree move on the painting... but it puzzled him so much to see them lack their natural color... and lack their natural ability to move with a breeze. They all seemed... utterly dead.

"Hmm..." came Jet's thoughtful and cunning voice, feeling that it was time to help Mai discover the vast beauty to the Earth Kingdom redwood tree.

And with a flinch of his wrist, the boy snatched the art prodigy's ink cartridge from her hand ("_HEY!_")... and broke off into a run within the entrance to the woods. Jet's agile heart drove him to find the tall Redwood trees hidden in the forest... and as he heard the small pitter-pattering of feet chasing him behind... the boy smiled, realizing that his plan was working out smoothly.

In his graceful tree-dwelling fashion, Jet raised his two hooked swords and caught the smallest branch that was nearby, swinging himself onto it like a spider monkey. He didn't look back at all, because his ears were enough to catch Mai's deep growling and know that she would continue his pursuit.

"_Give me back my cartridge, Jet!_"

The boy blinked, mesmerized from the hearing of his own name.

He slowed down and turned slightly to see Mai's twisted features, her silky hair moving along with the wind as she ran to catch up to him from the ground. Jet's heart almost melted as he saw the girl spread her arms out and practically leap herself onto the same branch he swung onto... in all the gracefulness of an exotic blue crane.

"Oh, really... is it that painting really that special to you?" Jet teased, his heart beating like a drum. "Then maybe you should get to know the subject matter a little more..."

And with that, the boy resumed his running... using his hooked swords to swing from one branch to another, gradually getting further away from the ground. Mai did not stop in pursuit, keeping her eyes focused on the moving boy as she leapt gracefully from branch to branch to get to him. The forest's breeze was passing through their faces as they ran, and Jet could not help but feel at home, in his natural playground jumping along the branches.

"You doing alright back there?" Jet called to her as he ran.

"_SHUT UP!" _Mai shouted in complete frustration, unaware of the height she was running in

Those few minutes of pursuit in the woods lasted as long as an hour anywhere else, with the young boy driving the girl into unfamiliar terrain. In his eyes, they were playing like little tree monkeys among the branches of redwood, oblivious to the danger that would occur with a sudden drop. Jet yielded his run into a complete stop, then, breathing heavily from the pursuit and looking back to see where Mai was.

She was not so far behind, leaping easily onto another branch without breaking her eye contact with him. In a matter of seconds, she was standing on the same branch with him, breathing heavily through her nose and staring at him incredulously.

To the boy, she looked strikingly beautiful.

"Funny, I didn't really see you as a nature girl," Jet said, panting under his breath.

"That's because I'm _not, _you idiot." Mai hissed, her voice utterly exhausted from the chase. She then extended one of her hands to him through her long robe sleeves. "Now, _give me the cartridge_."

Jet smiled. "You see I _would _give it to you if I had it, but the truth is... I don't."

"_Liar._"

"What makes you think would I lie to you?" Jet brought up sincerely, cryptically.

Mai didn't say a word, but just glared at the boy, silently telling him that she'd had enough with all of his stupid games. She kept her hand extended, waiting for Jet to just give it up.

Instead, the boy kept his mischievous smile to the girl.

"Check your pocket," he advised to her quietly, which made Mai's extended hand suddenly flinch into an ease.

She blinked, wondering if this was another one of his tricks so he would dash off again, and carefully followed along with what he was saying. _It couldn't be possible_, she thought to herself, not taking her stern eyes off of him as her hand moved over to the fabric of her pants to feel anything inside.

And suddenly, Mai's eyes rose up in utter bewilderment, slowly reaching in to her pocket. With a intake of a gasp, her closed fist revealed the same little glass cartridge she had been pursuing.

It was inside her pocket the entire time.

Jet did not keep himself from grinning over to her eyes as they slowly calculated what he had done... how the boy must've slipped the cartridge into her pocket at the _fraction of a second _before she had reacted and turned to chase him.

Of course, his past reputation of a free-dweller had taught the young man many tricks... including the most complex form of pick-pocketing for the sake of survival. It did not take a philosopher to understand how ever since he had first caught sight of Mai, the boy had no longer desired the life of a thief. This time, however... he believed he had used his past techniques for the greater good. Jet finally felt that he was beginning to reach the girl of his dreams.

"You know, I don't mind if you follow me... but you should _really _stop chasing people without a motive." Jet teased her under the shade of the large Redwood tree they were still standing under. "It gets a little creepy."

Mai threw a surprised, disgusted, utterly dumbfounded glance at the young man who stood before her so sincerely with his arms crossed. She could feel her heart beating rapidly... whether it was from rage or embarrassment... or irony... the girl could not decide.

Jet was merely amused, his wispy brown hair slightly moving from the breeze. After a few moments of letting the natural sounds of the wild take in their awkward position, the young man bowed his head once more and took a step backward.

"Well, since it was so easy for you to chase me over these trees, I guess you won't have a problem finding a way down." Jet was trying really hard to sound sincere, without letting himself laugh at the idea of it.

In just as much grace as the girl had shown with her leaping... Jet then grabbed a tight hold of his hooked swords once again, and leapt off the branch to another one, swinging off into the vast realms of the woods. He was a young man of the wilds, and the trees were his playground, as familiar to him as the voice of his little brother.

Jet left the young girl standing in her own self-reflection up in the giant Redwood, still holding the cartridge with a loosening fist in her hand.

She tried to locate that boy in every which way she turned, but all of a sudden, the extreme distance from the ground had caught her attention, and right then and there she realized just _how far_ she had climbed to the trees. It was no less than sixty feet, with nothing but branches that paved the way into a challenging obstacle getting down. Mai's ears caught the sounds of birds both close and distant from her, and the breeze passed through her hair and made the leaves sound so threatening.

Part of her was already feeling locked, frightened... realizing how she had never been alone in such a wild place before.

_That sense of entrapment was breaking inside her, into tiny little pieces, and getting lost into the darkness of the woods. They leapt onto the branches that surrounded her, filtering into the hundreds of leaves so quickly that the girl could not keep up with their freedom piece by piece._

Mai's copper eyes suddenly began to glimmer from the intensity of these new sounds, of this estranged sense of peace, letting her hand with the cartridge fall limply at her side. She felt defeated, and yet enlightened at the same time... and after a long moment's breath, Mai lowered her body and sat down, hugging her knees on the Redwood branch to recollect what had just happened to her.

Far off in the darkness, in the shadows of the nearby tree branches... the young boy watched the girl slowly accept her surroundings, seeing her sad, curious face turn from one sound to another up there in that small branch by herself. He watched her close her eyes, taking in the breeze and the sounds that invited themselves into her imagination... which he hoped would eventually become great inspiration for her art.

She needed to set herself free, Jet thought. There was something in that girl's mind that kept her empty, making her paint only through assumptions and sight. It was something that had broken the relationship between her and Zuko, and was concealing her from the rest of the world.

Jet watched the girl with intriguing eyes, knowing her well enough that she'd eventually find her way down from the Redwood without any help. It was then that the boy knew he had to keep his distance from her, because she had to take in this ultimate reality on her own, and learn to help herself.

It didn't matter how long it would take for him to approach her again. Reflection could never be rushed.

Oblivious to the minutes that passed between them, the boy remained as a ghost among the darkness... keeping a close watch to protect the girl he adored, making sure she would return to her canvas safely.

* * *

**A/N** - Faithful readers, I apologize for the delay! First it was break, and then a few Avatar one-shots I couldn't get out of my head (shameless plug: read them. They're _awesome_!). I'm also sorry about the lack of Kataang interaction, but there will be more in the next few chapters, I swear. Plus I have another MaiJet moment which probably won't show up until much later, but hey... I'm just trying to remind myself what I'm working for. –MM


	12. Water Tennis

"Keep those arms of yours _firm, _Katara. Remember to _breathe_... Excellent serenity, Yue."

"Thank you, Coach Hama!"

Yue's voice seemed to flutter as she gracefully returned the small blob of water at Katara's side of the court, and the dark-toned waterbender grit her teeth to prevent the blob from touching the sand pavement of the tennis court. Their coach - a slouching, petite old woman with silvery white hair - observed the girls' opposing strategies at one side of the court. One small mark of water on the white floury sand would be impossible to summon from even the most expert waterbender, and Katara refused to get her sandy side of the court get another mark of water.

Outside of the sandy tennis court, with a small moat of water that surrounded the two female waterbending players, Aang noticed a blackboard posted at the very far end, with the following written on white chalk:

Round 4

_YUE: 13_

_KATARA: 11_

It was a friendly round, and Yue was beating Katara by two points... which explained why Katara was straining to gain those points back. Her hair was hanging down to her waist and it moved wildly along with all of her swift movement along the court.

Yue leapt as the same blob of water came towards her side of the court as quick as lightning, and the girl launched a move with her right arm to ricochet that water back towards her opponent before her side could hit the sandy ground. Yue's features were calm and secure, while Aang was both impressed and terrified to see Katara's ferocity on the opposite side of the court.

To say that the girl took this sport seriously was quite an understatement, and Aang could not help but be fascinated by this_ other_ side of Katara.

"_Come on, Loopies! _You can do this..." Aang heard the familiar voice of Teo shout from the front of the crowd, and he saw the boy grip the handles of his wheelchair in anticipation.

The young airbender smiled at that nickname, wondering if he was already qualified to use it himself as a friend. He went over and waved a hello to the familiar face.

"Oh hey, Aang."

"Hey," the boy clutched Katara's script with one hand behind his back, hoping that the reason behind his coming to the Water Tennis game were less obvious. "What're you up to?"

"Meh... just killing time," Teo shrugged over to the airbender, "Toph is finishing up with her Football practice, so I'm waiting around for her."

There was a slight beaming look that passed through Teo's face, and Aang laughed, as if understanding that feeling very much. "How's the Tennis match?"

"It's close...and a crazy one." Teo said without hesitation, "Katara doesn't get it... she needs to stay calm during those moves. She gets_ really_ into the game sometimes. It's scary."

Promptly, the girl's growling voice lunged forward when attempting to toss the blob of water back to Yue as an overhead pass. Her hair was disheveled , lifted above her scalp as she waved both arms behind her with a stunning ricochet of the blob of water... and it flew over to Yue's side as two shards of ice!

Aang's eyes rose in shock... even more as he saw Yue's calm - almost disappointed - demeanor.

The young opponent with radiant white hair kept both hands firmly outward at her center, and with her knees bent, she received both shards of ice like a voluntary magnet. Just as they reached her palms, the girl breathed in and quickly melted the icicles back into water, floating serenely to become a single blob once again.

A small jump forward, and Yue exhaled her breath, releasing the water back to her opponent quickly, with her fingers opening out like webs. What caught Katara – and a few other spectators – off guard, was that the water had suddenly broken off into little droplets as they passed over the net. And froze into hail.

Katara was too overwhelmed by that sudden move, she instantly crossed her arms over her face to block those little marbles of ice from hitting her.

"This was supposed to be a _friendly_ game, Katara!" Yue shouted over to her, sadly, but the girl with hairloops did not seem to listen.

As if her stubbornness had suddenly taken a life of its own, Katara's lifted herself up into a new Bending stance and raised her arms up. With closed eyes, she lifted all the pieces of hail from the sand in unison, floating in midair. She knew that Yue had won that point, but regardless, the girl did not return the water to her in a blob.

Instead... Katara scrunched her face into a cruel, almost bestial frown as she opened her eyes to her friend... and the marbles of ice slowly molded themselves into sharp little daggers in mid-air.

Half of the spectators gasped. One look at Teo's eyes, and the young airbender knew that this was a very... _very _illegal move she was about to do.

And that was when Coach Hama had had enough.

In a flash, the woman had lifted her sleeves up to the elbow... with her eyes full of disappointment... to demonstrate a waterbending technique that was both a blessing and a curse to her hands.

Katara's arms suddenly began to jerk menacingly, shaking all the way down to her sides and breaking the control she had over the ice shards. Her teeth grit with both sadness and rage as she felt her own body almost betray her to the sand, on her knees, and Aang's heart was beating menacingly like a drum... wanting so much to jump over the fence and help her.

Katara shut her eyes, knowing full well she had broken the rules as her body continued to shake like a dangling puppet.

The crowd grew silent, and Teo looked away at the corner of Aang's eye, but the airbender could not help but see the ultimate power of the elder waterbender take control to the rebellious young waterbender. And with a slight whimper of surrender on Katara's part, Coach Hama eased the grip on her elderly hands, and released the young girl into the soft ground to breathe heavily.

"That is the second time this _week_ you make me do this, Katara..." Coach Hama slowly approached the girl as she laid on the sand, breathing heavily, and then raised her voice a bit more for the spectators to hear. "The game is over."

At that, Yue lowered her head in sadness and turned around to leave the tennis court, not taking her eyes off of her friend as she stayed on the sandy ground, as if there were bitterness keeping her there with an unquestionable force.

Aang studied Katara's frustrated features as she revealed her face again, and he looked over to Teo to wonder how he felt. The boy in the wheelchair was shook his head in disappointment.

"God, she's never gonna learn, is she?" Teo said rhetorically to nobody in particular, but Aang glanced over to the girl as the old woman crouched down to her.

The boy could see Coach Hama place a comforting hand to the girl's shoulder, muttering something like "come on... we need to talk" before helping her up from the sand. Aang noticed Katara's eyes beginning to glimmer from a dense feeling of surrender, and he immediately remembered why he liked her so much. She was passionate, and she wasn't afraid to show it.

The young girl and her coach moved out of the court for a brief conversation in the shadows, and as people began to step off of the stone bleachers, the boy noticed another pair of familiar faces in the small crowd... a sulky young man with a scar, and a preppy-looking girl who had once caught the young airbender off-guard with her copper eyes.

By the way they were crossing their arms, still sitting next to each other without saying a word, Aang did not have to guess that Zuko and Azula must have been related.

"Hmm, she's utterly pathetic, if you ask me..."

That muttering of Azula's velvety voice escaped the open air and Aang caught those words from a few feet away, making the boy frown. Katara was _anything _but pathetic.

"... if that sloppy technique of hers reflects her determination to win class presidency, than I have nothing to worry about." Azula smiled smugly, yet sinisterly.

Aang caught those muttering words of the young woman, and he noticed how Zuko was still staring at the court, pretending not to hear a word. The scarred sibling just watched without blinking, becoming much more intrigued on Katara's side of the court.

"I thought you'd outdone yourself with Mai... but congratulations with this one, big brother. I'm sure you'll both be utterly pathetic _together_."

"She just a _friend, _Azula," Zuko muttered grudgingly, slouching even more on the bleacher with his arms crossed, turning slightly away from his sister to watch the game. The woman just smiled amusingly at the sulking boy, almost happy to see him scrunch his face like that.

Aang's heart almost skipped a beat at the hearing of all this, practically feeling like all of his chances with Katara were diminishing in seconds. As much as he couldn't bare the sight of Zuko... the young boy had to believe him. He had to believe that Katara was not seeing anything past friendship with Zuko, and the young airbender turned his head back to the game... refusing to listen to any more of that muttering, bittersweet conversation.

_The Avatar must accept all truth that is given to him, but also be aware that he has the ability to change the course of any person's life._

Aang bit his lip, wanting to get Monk Gyatso's voice out of his head feverishly. By a stroke of luck, Katara had finished the brief talk with Coach Hama and walked over to his direction near the court to pick up her tennis bag... catching the boy's gaze almost by surprise.

"...Aang?"

"Hey, Katara!" The boy said cheerfully through the wired tennis court fence, and the girl composed herself with a smile, as if pretending that whatever Coach Hama had told her were fragments of a terrible dream.

The girl muffled a "Hey... how was the play meeting?" while she put here things together in her bag...and the young boy raised a brow and placed a hand onto the court fence... desiring so much to ask if she was okay.

"Um, it was okay... Haru told us a story about him playing a dragon, or something..."

Katara laughed instinctively, wrapping a small towel into her bag and but not looking up at Aang. "Oh, that story, huh?"

The boy kept a hand on the fence, looking at Katara with curious gray eyes and hoping that hers would reach him eventually.

"Yeah; I think it's going to be an awesome show." Aang tightened his stomach to continue talking to her, believing that any basket of words would help the girl feel better. "I was looking at the script, and it looks like we spend a lot of time together onstage."

Without warning, the girl's eyes raised up towards Aang with slight alarm and apprehension. "Really?"

Suddenly, Aang felt like he should've said something else. "Well– I mean– the lines don't seem to be _that _bad..." the boy could feel the taste in his mouth turning sour from that lie. "...and besides... we can help each other out."

The young airbender slowly clutched the wire of the tennis court fence, desiring to Bend that twisted metal so badly, to wrap his arms around the crushed girl with hairloops he adored. As his other hand still clutched the girl's _Omashu _script, he wrapped the script like a tube and rolled it through the fence for Katara to receive it.

"Did you want to meet to run some lines together this weekend? If we could start memorizing now, we'll be better prepared for the rehearsals..."

Aang was aware that the Southern Air Temple had its first dodge ball tournament of the season that Saturday, but all of a sudden it was like those games were something trivial. Something he would see if he just didn't happen to have anything better to do.

Katara received the script from the boy's fingers kindly, and she looked at him with sincere, very exhausted blue eyes. "I think that's a great idea... I have a feeling I'll be getting a lot more time for rehearsals, anyway..."

At that estranged comment, the girl put the script in her tennis bag and threw it over her shoulder in a harsh _slump_, looking down at the sandy ground as if she wanted to swallow some of it. Aang's eyebrows raised themselves into a concerned gaze, fishing for the next few words to say to her. His mouth trembled. Why was it becoming so _difficult?_

The girl smiled again, seeing the troubled look in the young boy's eyes, and she placed a reassuring hand next to his on the fence. It was like she was silently telling him that yes... she would be okay. And yes, thanks for caring so much about me.

It brought a contagious grin to the boy's face, and he asked the spirits to keep him from blushing foolishly as the girl's hand slightly brushed his on the wired fence. She probably didn't think much of it, anyway.

Only a few milliseconds had passed between them, but for Aang they could've been minutes... _hours, _even... studying the pretty face that fell across the fence from him. Katara sighed a very long breath, still recovering from that intense Waterbending practice with her friend, and feeling that she owed her an apology. Her eyes then left Aang's, as if she were interested in something that was over his shoulder, and her hand spontaneously removed itself from the rail.

"Can you meet tomorrow at mid-day, outside of the school courtyard?" Her soft, pleasant voice then came to life again.

Aang beamed.

"Sure!" It would be cutting into the Airbenders' dodgeball tournament... but still, Aang thought... there would be other games.

Katara gave a little laugh, feeling a little flattered by his excitement. "Okay, well I'll bring us something to eat for lunch..." she secured her tennis bag over her shoulder and began to walk towards the court exit, her face still looking at Aang. "...Do you like dried sea prunes? They're a Water Tribe delicacy."

The boy's form involuntarily seemed to follow Katara's footsteps as she moved, walking along with her on the other side of the fence. "Um, I've never had them before, but I'm up for an adventure!" Aang smiled up to her with a clever eye. "Hey! If you bring the prunes... I'll bring the organic rice milk."

Katara laughed that lovely, musical laugh of hers, and Aang knew that she was back. "It's a deal, kiddo," she said, and finally exited the tennis court to meet the young airbender within a few feet.

Aang wasn't sure if it would be too forward to just hug her, right then and there, but a few trembling words escaped his mouth before he could take any action.

"Did you want a ride home? My bison... Appa, should be flying to pick me up at any moment... and I'm sure he wouldn't mind if...you..."

His voice trailed off, being too mesmerized by the girl's flowing brown hair and her intense blue eyes that mimicked the color of the sky. She had waited for him to finish, but then amusingly decided to respond, by putting a hand on his forearm for ease.

"That's really sweet of you, Aang..." Katara said with a grin, and the boy fought that fantasy of her leaning to him closer... her lips approaching his own in a slow motion...

"...but I actually told Zuko I'd walk home with him today."

Aang's stomach suddenly tightened, like he'd just swallowed a rock.

"Wh– what?"

Katara gestured with her eyes over to someone behind him, and Aang turned his head to notice that apparently... _someone_ had not left the bleachers after the tennis match ended. He was still sitting there, his body slightly slouched on the stone bleachers... holding a pair of what looked like thick chopsticks and drumming them rhythmically on a knee with one hand.

The young airbender blinked in disbelief. _Zuko was there the WHOLE TIME!? _

Aang tried to gulp his nervousness down, part of him wondering just how much that young man had seen... and part of him wondering if his Avatar abilities could make Zuko disappear off the face of the Earth Kingdom. But he opened his eyes... and there Zuko remained, completely unaware that a young boy wanted to air-pummel the living daylights out of him.

Katara still had her hand on Aang's forearm, and the boy sighed in his mind as the girl brought it back to her side, knowing that it meant farewell.

"I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

Aang took in that serene voice as well as he could, trying to make himself more hopeful. "Okay," he muttered, but with a courageous smile.

Katara then clutched her bag tightly over to her shoulder and ran towards Zuko over in the bleachers, with Aang turning his head to watch her form become more distant from him.

He tried not to think about the smile that Katara had for Zuko as she waved at him, and how Zuko made a rare grin in return... instantly jumping off the stone bleacher to meet her. He pretended not to hear Katara's voice as she started talking to Zuko so casually about the Water Tennis match, as they walked down a grounded path into a trail in the woods.

And the boy deeply, _deeply_ fought the urge to hear that familiar musical laughter, as Zuko started to playfully drum on her shoulder with chopsticks to make her feel better.

It was when Aang could faintly see two little stick figures in the distance... when he finally threw his schoolbag to the ground and kicked the _Omashu _script, the math homework, the literature scrolls and history book inside it. Twice.

_Stupid... Avatar... High... _he thought angrily, convinced that Monk Gyatso had plotted all this to make his life miserable. _...Why can't I be TALLER?_

A familiar screeching sound then caught the boy's ears, and Aang looked around to see which tree Momo was perched on. He turned around in a semi circle and realized that not only had he heard Momo... but that he had found another shoulder to perch on.

Aang's eyes rose in utter surprise, removing his bandana subconsciously.

"Hmm...Girl trouble, I presume?" came a worn, raspy voice of the old man standing a few feet away, studying his young apprentice's blue arrow with amusement.

The boy felt like he'd accidentally swallowed his tongue. He hadn't expected to see Avatar Roku so suddenly.

* * *

"Wait a minute... you mean we have to know _ALL _of the major cities of the _ENTIRE _Earth Kingdom?"

Mai didn't bother to look up from her sketchbook as she rolled her eyes, over at the girl who was acrobatically turning her Earth Kingdom Atlas pages with her toes over her head. The girls seemed to keep their distances from one another in that vast, beautifally red-tinted bedroom of Princess Azula, and yet still maintained the warmth of a slumber party through their bits and pieces of conversation.

"Well yes, Ty Lee... that is what an 'Earth Kingdom geography quiz' entails..." Azula glanced over at her friend from her mirror with disbelief, as the Fire Nation princess removed her own make-up at the mirror. She was rather meticulous and slow about it, since her own mother had decided to give some of the royal servants the day off.

_What was that woman thinking?_... Azula pondered... _These people worked diligently their entire lives to have the honor of waiting on the Royal Fire Nation family. Giving them temporary freedom was like an insult to their life-long training._

"Sheesh, your mom really likes to force things on us... doesn't she," Ty Lee said with a giggle, lifted her feet back into a proper sitting position. "I mean... shouldn't you try and make her go easy on us? We _are _your friends... and you _are _her daughter."

"Believe me, Ty Lee... if I had any power over that woman... I would use it to my fullest advantage," Azula muttered under her breath, trying really hard to not let the make-up removal cream fall into her copper eyes. "But I've got more important things to worry about."

"Oh. Let me guess," Mai's husky voice came in sarcastically. "You're going to spend the rest of this year trying to re-elect yourself as student body president... even though you won by a land-slide last year."

"Wonderful, Mai. I'm glad to see that you know me extremely well," Azula smiled from her mirror, successfully removing the mascara off of one eye. "Now tell me... how many obsessive little drawings of Zuko will it take... before you finally accept the fact that boys are a complete and ultimate waste of our time?"

Mai's eyes slowly went up to meet Azula's, but the pale girl said nothing. Instead, she moved her sketchbook at an angle to show for her information... she was drawing a lamp. And that as much as Azula was dancing for a reasoning behind their break-up with her copper eyes, one stern look from Mai told her 'no, it's not your business. Even being princess and all.'

"Come on, Azula. Boys aren't a _complete _waste of our time ..." Ty Lee made another one of her cheek-to-cheek smiles, thinking about her last encounter with Hide back at the _Omashu _meeting. She started humming an unidentifiable tune to herself, reading the Earth Kingdom Atlas upside down without moving her eyes.

"Well you were right about me winning by a land-slide last year," Azula still had her keen, analytical eyes on Mai as she was drawing in her sketchbook. "But that all due to my clever initiative to take down that sweet and innocent little twit of a Water Tribe princess."

"Oh, yeah, I remember... Yue!" Ty Lee poked her head out from the open Atlas.

"That young woman, who believed that being a princess entitled her to having the power of running the entire student body," Mai muttered under her breath, without lifting her pencil from the sketchbook.

Azula raised a skeptical brow to the artist, and continued. "Unfortunately, Yue did not seem to think past her 'princess' title... she thought she could be all her sweet self and not know the school like the back of her hand. It was the reason I was able to manipulate her so easily."

Ty Lee giggled from those random memories of last year. "Weren't you the one who talked her into getting a portrait of herself in a bikini, and post them up on the walls in order to get more of the male guys to vote for her during elections?"

Azula noticed how Mai's hand flinched nervously at the sound of 'portrait,' but then replied to Ty Lee's questions just as eloquently.

"Indeed... And that poor Water Princess had some nice little talks with my dear Uncle for about a week, and clearly did not get many mens' votes... most of the posters had gone missing by the time elections came around."

"Hide still has one in his bedroom." Ty Lee pointed out with a slight blush in her cheeks, sinking her face under the Atlas book.

Mai looked over at the girl in pink with an incredulous eye, sighing in disbelief as to how low this girl was stooping.

"Besides," Azula continued without a moment's thought. "I knew how to control most of these stupid boys with an iron hand. The trick is to know exactly what they want... which doesn't really amount to much, and then let your trusting voice easily let the rest of the school fall under your faithful clutches. You have to be a Princess of the utterly manipulative People."

The princess let her sinister laugh get the best of her. "Quite the waste of Water Tribe royalty, if you ask me... and to think... all she wanted was to try and make the school a better place..."

Ty Lee couldn't help but giggle some more as Azula's voice became so mockingly weepy at the end. Mai didn't seem to care at all.

"So... what's so different about this year's elections, your highness President?" Ty Lee brought up. "Don't you think you're going to scare all other candidates to the ground?"

Azula made a smug sound to the mirror. "You would think so... but I believe I have a new innocent face to bring down... one that I would like to call, Little Miss Perfect."

Mai scoffed. "It's that obsessive waterbender girl, isn't it," came her expressionless voice.

"Truly, it is," Azula said promptly. "And as usual, she is trying to make something of herself, which in her book means trying to befriend everyone in the entire school, and then discover what sort of things this little school is lacking. She wants to be an actual voice of the people."

"What an inspiration," Mai said sarcastically with her tongue sticking out in disgust, placing the finishing touches of her black lamp.

Azula narrowed her eyes in thought, letting the make-up remover cream carefully go onto her eyelid for the mascara. "I have a feeling she's going to try to diversify this school in every way possible... trying to strip the pride of this Fire Nation-founded school into smithereens... making us forget _everything we've worked so hard to obtain_."

"That doesn't seem too bad," Ty Lee claimed slightly positively, as she turned another page of her Atlas, "I mean, if all else fails... you can try to threaten her out of the elections with your super-awesome FireBending power."

"I'm afraid there is a bit more complexity to this one," Azula mustered from under her breath.

"Pray tell," came the voice of Mai, turning a new blank page for more sketching.

"There's a rumor across the school that another airbender has arrived at the school..."

"What?" Ty Lee raised a brow. "You mean... another one of those 'Oh, look at me, I am all tattoo-y and faithful and talk to animals... and totally don't fit into a regular school setting' type of people?"

"Perhaps," said Azula, "but here is the catch. _This one _has been invited by Avatar Roku himself. I can bet my crown that he is the Avatar-in-Training... and I will bet you my entire Royal fleet that this water bender girl has already become friends with him."

"And that's a threat to you because..." Mai's voice trailed off, pretending to seem intrigued about the situation, but actually pondering about what to draw next.

"Because _the Avatar-in-Training holds the power of all Four Nations!" _Azula grabbed a brush from her vanity table and began to untie her hair with frustration. "With the Avatar-in-Training at our school... surely, the people will _have _take sides on anything that he deems worthy... and that includes _the next Student Body President._"

Azula began to brush her hair carefully, trying to calm herself out of that intense frustration.

"If he decides to vote for that water peasant as President, than of course the majority of the school will see it fit."

"Oh, I see..." Ty Lee wondered dreamily. "So you're gonna have to find a way to not make that girl be friends with the Avatar-in-Training...right?"

Azula smirked sinisterly at her friend from the mirror. "No, actually."

Mai looked over at the young woman with those deep copper eyes, wondering what in the hell was brewing in her sadistic little mind.

"I'm going to try something a little different, so that the school... even Avatar Roku... will have to practically hand over my role as Student Body President on a platter for the years to come."

Both girls looked at their friend by the reflection of the mirror, while Azula continued to brush her hair in a gentle, almost maniacal fashion.

"I am going to _welcome_ this Avatar-in-Training... and make him wish that he had never... ever... set foot inside Praying Mantis High School."


	13. Rehearsal

"_Shall I praise thee like the delicate bloom of spring cherry blossoms, that grow on the furthest hilltops of my land? A fair comparison would not meet such simplicity._"

Aang could hear himself mumbling his Shu lines loosely, as if he were preparing himself for what was ahead. With Momo propped loyally on his shoulder, chirping away at the air and looking at his friend intently, the boy couldn't concentrate on the script as he held it open that morning, in front of a Southern Air Temple balcony. At the corner of his eye he saw flying bison overhead and his friends pack their equipment for their big Saturday Air Dodgeball tournament.

Somehow he could not get Katara's gleeful expression from his mind, especially when she walked home with Zuko the day before. It vexed the boy's stomach muscles, thinking that he could hardly stand a chance to be with this pretty, amazing girl... even if they _were_ Oma and Shu.

"_True love will take time to develop, Aang... especially if you are the Avatar. But that doesn't mean it is impossible to find..."_

It was one of the few topics that Principle Roku had brought up with him in that sudden encounter in the courtyards yesterday... and as much as Aang wanted to believe him, the butterflies still rumbled in his stomach, as if hungry to feel a certain girl's voice.

He had to face fact that his knees were shaking with nervousness, wondering whether or not the lovely waterbender would actually show up for their picnic of sea prunes and rice milk.

_Why did this all sound so ridiculous to him? _

The boy was overlooking the temple's sunrise from the balcony that morning, eyes so droopy it practically sang out that he'd barely gotten an hour's worth of sleep. His tired form was at least strong enough to hold the _Omashu_ script in his hand, showing that he had at least attempted to get a few lines memorized ahead of time.

"Hey man, you okay?" One of the young airbenders went over to Aang on the balcony, as others were preparing to take off for the Northern Air Temple on their respective bison. "Why don't you come with us?"

Aang turned his head to where the voice was coming from, and he did not even manage to change his tired expression into a smile. He just looked up to his friend and shook his head, waving a quick hand as he saw a few of the flying bison take off already.

"Sorry, but I'm going to be heading to school soon."

The other airbender's light brown eyes studied his tired face. "School?... on a Saturday?"

The young Avatar-in-Training blinked, not exactly knowing how to explain himself out of that particular reason. He had told his friends that Praying Mantis High School was a regular five-day school, and that in spite of the fact that he couldn't play on the Air Dodgeball team, he would be free on Saturdays to catch their games and cheer them on. Apparently, this had to be a good excuse... and he would _die _before mentioning anything about a girl...

"Um... I have a training session with Avatar Roku... he's... gonna start teaching me firebending!"

The other boy's light blue eyes suddenly widened in shock, and Aang was so caught off guard, he didn't know what else he could say.

"Firebending? _Already!?_" His friend seemed to be more excited than Aang was, and it made him feel like the biggest liar in the universe. "Wow! You gotta tell me how that goes!"

Aang's forehead felt heavy with wrinkles, watching as his friend leapt onto the last flying bison and took off for their Air Dodgeball tournament.

It was like a whirlwind of stress had suddenly passed through the boy, remembering how he had talked to Katara about his mastery in Airbending... and how he'd shown Toph that he too could be a potential Earthbender... and after one little lie, the boy knew that the whole Southern Air Temple would expect him to demonstrate Firebending by the end of the year.

_What am I doing?_ Aang thought to himself, as Appa flew over the purple sky of the sunrise, taking him to Praying Mantis High that early afternoon to finally meet with Katara. Ironic, how he was trying so hard to hide his identity from people and not make it a big deal, and yet here he was... practically singing the fact that he was the Avatar.

Roku came into his mind again... and he wondered if there was code of conduct he was ultimately breaking after all of these secrets and lies he was making about his Avatar ability.

"_I learned long ago, Aang, that in order to understand the responsibilities of the world, you must live and interact with its people... the people of your generation... and use the time that is given to you to create a project. One that will enable a greater good among the four nations."_

_Aang heard the raspy voice of the Avatar humbly, as they both took a brisk walk within the woods._

"_Is that why you_ _built Praying Mantis High School? So kids from the four nations could get along with each other?"_

"_In a way, yes," said Principle Roku simply, "During my year-long mentorship with Avatar Kyoshi, I was taken to her own established project in Kyoshi Island, where Non-Earthbenders were kept safe from the corruption and hatred of their respective Earthbending people. It was a philosophy that worked for her... but unfortunately, not for me." _

"_What do you mean?" Aang asked curiously, as Momo suddenly hopped from Roku's shoulder over to his younger master's, chirping by the sound of the woods._

"_Avatar Kyoshi believed that in order for her Earth Kingdom to live peacefully, they had to live separately, without the Earth Bender's culture disturbing the Non-Earthbender's. During my time there, I realized that it wasn't the philosophy I wanted to pursue as the Avatar... and as my life-long project, I chose to establish this experimental school... an open community for Benders and non-Benders alike."_

_Aang raised his eyelids slightly, remembering what Jet had told him about respecting the non-Benders at the school. There was no doubt in his mind that other kids felt the same way, but what if other kids were reluctant about it?_

"_It will be your duty this year to interact with as many young people as you can, and let it build inspiration for your own project once the title of the Avatar is passed on to you..."_

Aang sighed, recalling those long and wise words of Avatar Roku as he flew on Appa over the grand forest of the Earth Kingdom towards the school. This project was just another thing he had to work on during the course of this year, aside from memorizing his _OmaShu _lines, practicing the four elements of Bending, winning a certain girl's heart, and hiding his true identity from people for the rest of the year.

_Gah... isn't Math with Mr. Pakku bad enough_?

But all that anxiety seemed to disappear, as the boy noticed a familiar smile waiting for him at the foot of the school's stone steps... a girl with hairloops sitting properly, and with a small string bag of food held on her arm

Katara's hand waved at him as Appa landed in front of the school's entrance, and the young airbender sighed immediately, almost forgetting that he had been feeling so stressed over everything that Avatar Roku had told him.

Aang didn't take more than two seconds in between landing Appa on the ground, sliding off of the bison's forehead, and running to give his lovely friend a monumental hug for a greeting. She accepted it without question, giving her distinctive musical laugh in return, and Aang could faintly tell that she had blushed a little as they parted.

He noticed how her eyes were carrying a bit of interest to his forehead, and suddenly... the boy blinked in shock.

"Oh no!" Aang felt the baldness of his scalp with one hand, realizing that he'd left his bandana in his room. "I... my tattoo... Vice Principal Zhao's gonna _kill_ me!"

Katara laughed, "Don't worry, it's Saturday... he's usually not in the office on the weekends. Trust me, I know."

She lowered her chin slightly, embarrassed, as if she had been hiding a certain confession and wasn't sure if it was the right time to bring it up. Aang studied her face lovingly, trying to gather her expression through the pretty hairloops that hung over her eyes.

But before the boy could ask her what was wrong, she tapped on the boy's bright blue arrow playfully with a finger, adding "It looks good on you."

"Thanks..." Aang could feel his lips curl into a childish grin at her touch. Without saying a word, they looked at each other for a brief silly moment and then proceeded to walk over near the Water Tennis courts for their _OmaShu _readings. Katara seemed to be more sincerely interested in the trail they were walking, instead of holding a conversation.

"It's really great to see you." The boy forced himself to speak in order to break the awkward silence, and he couldn't help but feel like he was walking on air more and more with every step they took together. "I was scared that you weren't going to show up--"

Katara blinked over at him, confused, and suddenly the butterflies in Aang's stomach turned into heavy stones.

_Why in the world did I say that? _He thought foolishly. _Now she probably thinks I'm a weirdo, or that I think about her all the time_

"Oh, I don't blame you," was Katara's sincere reply, with a hint of a smile at the boy. "I tend to have a reputation for being late all the time... but I guess you've already heard that, huh."

Aang studied the girl's faint-hearted look in her eyes, feeling relieved that she wasn't overanalyzing his comments... yet curious to know everything that was on her own mind. The boy decided to lie, but promising himself it would be the _last _time he would ever lie to her.

"Yeah, I heard." The boy said it with a tone that showed he didn't think much of that particular weakness, not wanting to look away from her beautiful blue eyes, as sad as they were. "I mean as long as you're not late with me... you can keep doing it as much as you want!"

Katara chuckled slightly at the boy's attempt for humor, and sat herself down on the comfortable grass. She opened her _OmaShu _script, skimming through the lines in the first scene they had together. It was something about the way she quickly locked her gaze into the script, not wanting to look at anything else... that concerned Aang for some reason and made that feeling in his stomach practically disappear. He had to say something.

"Um... are you okay?" Aang felt his throat tighten as he asked her humbly, taking out the canteen of organic rice milk from his bag.

"Yeah," Katara then replied meekly, looking up to the sweet pair of silver eyes, "I'm sorry, Aang... I just have a lot on my mind... how I have to stay out of trouble this year."

Aang winced, and the girl caught that amusingly, and decided to explain herself further.

"I don't _mean _for it to happen, it's just that... sometimes when I help people, I forget to look after myself. Last year, Azula did some really cruel things to Yue, and I flipped out. I mean _really _flipped out... waterbending almost the entire swimteam's pool of water over on her."

"_What!?_" Aang certainly knew who Azula was, and the fact that Katara had launched an attack on her made him feel both frightened and proud at the same time.

"Yeah, I know." Katara nodded with a tone of disbelief, as if she could hardly imagine herself doing something like that. She took out a small container of sea prunes from her bag as she continued to speak. "Azula fought me back. She had to... I mean, if she hadn't known how to Fire-launch herself away from that giant tidal wave... I probably would've killed her for what she did to Yue."

Aang stared at this lovely girl with awe and disbelief, almost certain that this was an entirely different person she was talking about. He didn't even want to _know _what Azula had done to the other Waterbender... seeing that sad face in Katara's eyes was bad enough.

"Anyway, to make a long story short... Vice Principal Zhao had us both suspended, and I had to meet with Mr. Iroh once a week for counseling for the rest of the year. Azula... the brilliant orator that she is... talked her way out of suspension and ended up getting elected as class president."

Aang shook his head in disgust. "But she bended in the school grounds! Why didn't she get punished for that?"

"Because this school _lives and breathes_ Fire Nation colors, Aang. That's why." Katara frowned as she said so, clearly still holding a grudge from last year. "Azula could never get punished because most of Praying Mantis's administration is loyal to the Fire Nation... especially their royalty."

"But that's crazy." Aang tried to gather a few things that the Avatar had told him the day before, trying to piece it all together. "This school is supposed to be a _community... _right? Principal Roku set it up that way; every Bender and Non-Bender should follow the same rules and punishments."

"I know, but the Principal cannot control everyone else's beliefs, Aang." Katara explained assertively and angrily. "Yue and I wanted to change all that last year, because we thought it was unfair that this school was secretly supportive of Fire Nation culture. I mean... why wouldn't they be, since the founding principal _himself_ is from the Fire Nation?

"Yue was the one who tried to run against Azula for class presidency, and try to make a certain difference with the way kids saw this school. She had all these amazing ideas... but even before she could prove herself to the school, Azula did everything she could to bring her down and keep the Fire Nation dominant here. It's as if her life's purpose as Fire Nation princess is to make everyone else feel _small and insignificant_."

Katara scoffed at her own statement, quickly taking out a sea prune to eat, and offering the container to Aang. The boy's mind was still swimming in thought and disbelief, he practically didn't realize he picked out a sea prune and placed it in his mouth to chew.

It was like tasting the warm, salty bitterness of an unripe banana, and it took the boy by extreme surprise by the look of his sour-patched lips. Nevertheless, he still managed to smile at Katara as he chewed into the sea prune in his mouth, the bitter taste becoming stronger and stronger every time.

The girl laughed musically when she noticed the boy's face, and it seemed to lighten her expression up a bit. She took another sea prune out for herself, and then managed to open her _OmaShu _script once again with sincerity and ease, like she suddenly felt a lot better.

"Yue and I both felt that Azula was obsessed about this presidency thing... like it was her way of showing that she could control anything she wanted. She manipulated Yue so much last year, and she's always been so hard on her brother... saying that he's not good enough for the Fire Nation throne and humiliating him about his sloppy firebending technique. That boy has gotten so messed up because of her... I'm pretty sure she had _something_ to do with that brutal scar on his face."

"Is it true that you're going to run against her for presidency?" Aang wanted to keep the subject on Azula, afraid that he might hear more about Zuko and have that image of them together come back into his mind again.

Katara shrugged loosely, "Well, somebody has to fight against Azula's philosophy, but I'm still thinking about it. I just have to be _really careful_ with my temper, should I decide to do that."

"I think you'll be fine." Aang commented, mostly because he knew she wanted to hear that, but having a lot of faith that it was true.

"Thanks, Aang." Katara looked away in mid-thought, then smiled back at him with a certain freshness in her gaze. "Besides, this play is going to be something _really _big, so I'm going to have to think about that, besides helping out in water-tennis..."

The boy took out a couple of round cups to pour some rice milk from his canteen, "Oh yeah, so is Coach Hama still letting you play on the team, after what happened yesterday?"

He handed the cup of milk to Katara, and she accepted it with kindness, but with an uncomfortable glance from her eyes. "She's letting me sit in on a few tournaments for the start of the season, so I can watch and learn the techniques along with the team. Once she's seen that I've cooled down - and know that she doesn't have to use _bloodbending _on me anymore - she'll let me play again."

"Is _that _what that crazy thing was called? Bloodbending?"

"Yep." Katara involuntarily massaged her right arm, as if easing a muscle tension she had felt from that painful technique the day before. "It's a waterbending technique she had taught herself many years ago, but it isn't something she's proud of either_._"

"Why? What happened to her?" Aang narrowed his eyes, feeling that as the future Avatar, it was his duty to know about alternative forms of bending.

"Before Praying Mantis was built, Coach Hama worked for Avatar Roku as a sentinel, going off into the fire nation to retrieve information on those who were plotting against him. She was the one who found out about Fire Lord Sozin's imperialistic plan... wanting to invade the world and establish a pure Fire Nation culture."

Aang gulped a good amount of rice milk nervously, being full aware that the role of the Avatar carried so many dangers. Katara took a sip of the milk to gather her thoughts, taking a pause before she continued.

"The story goes that she was captured by one of Sozin's unknown followers and was subjected to torture and starvation. I think it was a great combination of patience and devastation that kept her alive, because in any case, Hama discovered _bloodbending_ in that prison. It was the only way she'd kept herself nourished and strong... by controlling the water in her own body, and she eventually set herself free by bloodbending the guards in her favor.

"And when Avatar Roku first questioned him about the plans, Sozin denied it... but Coach Hama forced the Fire Lord to confess his plans through _bloodbending torture. _It was because of Hama that Sozin was immediately de-throned, and why the Fire Nation lost its respect."

"Whoa..." Aang felt utterly speechless, suddenly losing his sense of thirst as he looked down at his cup of rice milk.

"Yeah," Katara agreed, and set the rice milk down at her side. "So I can understand why she hates using it on me. Maybe it's for the best that I don't waterbend for a while... it might be dangerous."

Aang gazed over at Katara's face, wondering what he could say to her after that.

"But, I don't get it..." the boy had to bring this up, since it seemed that he had suddenly been recognizing two sides of Katara. "... you were so nice when you first said hi to me, but when you waterbend, it's like you're a completely different person. Why do you get so violent in the game?"

Katara pursed her lips in slight sadness, closing her eyes as if not wanting to hear those words... or perhaps attempting to find an answer for the young boy. He almost gasped as the girl reopened her eyes, and saw a shimmering glow of tears reflecting in them.

Inside, the boy was panicking. "F– forget I said that. I'm sorry... I... What page do we start on in the script?... Seven?"

He was fumbling through the pages in the script all of a sudden, too afraid to look at the sad expession in Katara's face, feeling that it ultimately kill him.

"Aang..." her soft voice remained the same, trying to calm him down from this ridiculous anxiety. "It's not your fault, please..."

The boy was not ready for this. He was not ready to feel the gentle hand of the girl he adored touch his cheek that way, stopping everything he was doing just to look over to her eyes.

Those big, brilliantly shimmering eyes.

Wherever he found the energy to speak then, it must've come straight from the cosmic universe holding him together at that moment. He could feel his lips quivering.

"Did... did you want to talk about it? You don't have to. I swear, I won't let you--"

And suddenly, the young airbender's world closed in on him, feeling the softest lips plant themselves onto his cheek for a light little kiss. A kiss that had sent him practically to the spirit world and back.

When the boy opened his eyes, he could see a faint, yet sad grin on the girl's face as she pulled back to see him clearly. Neither of them spoke for what seemed seconds..._minutes..._and Katara then let out a small giggle to add to her impulsive move.

"Um... were we rehearsing, just now?" Aang _had _to bring humor into the situation, as he was practically about to fall apart from the warmth he felt on his cheek.

Katara composed herself again, letting out a slight sigh of relief and knowing that those uncomfortable feelings of sadness were gradually leaving her. She stared at the young boy kindly and with a bit of awkward hesitation.

"I just wanted to thank you... for..." her eyes looked away for a moment, nervously, "for caring about me so much."

It made the two of them smile in reassurance.

Aang wanted to ask her so many other things, like if Yue had already forgiven her from that dangerous waterbending move, or if talking to Iroh had helped her control that anger of hers. Or if there was something going on between Zuko and her... something that was a little deeper than friendship. It wasn't just to get a bit more of an understanding about her, but also to hear that lovely voice of hers a little bit more.

Instead, the boy opened his own _OmaShu _script and turned over to the same page that Katara was skimming through.

"So according to the director's notes... Oma is wandering lost in the woods, because a giant earthquake separated her and a few members of her tribe. Shu is lurking inside the woods on an assignment to capture fellow prisoners from Oma's tribe, and that's when he sees her... Ready to try that part out? It was the same scene we had in the audition."

As he spoke, the boy's mind was still replaying that soft kiss that Katara had given to him without warning, and Katara giggled, practically hearing what the boy's intentions were for this _particular _scene.

"Actually, do you mind if we looked over another scene instead?" she proposed cleverly. "Maybe the one where they meet the great Badger Moles in the caves? I haven't looked at that one yet..."

Aang blushed in response, because it was all that he could do then, hearing the girl's voice so sincerely. It was like all of a sudden, he didn't care which scenes they would go over; he was just glad that they were finally becoming so comfortable with each other's company.

As strange as it sounded, the boy adored her imperfections. Funny, how at first, Aang had only seen her through her eyes... so perfect and light blue on the surface, as someone who had never broken a rule in her life. But after so much talk, he noticed the color of her blue eyes so much deeper, as a person who carried both strengths and weaknesses far into the vast depths of the sky. She was more human to him know, and Aang could not help but feel closer to that.

**A/N: I continue to praise you, faithful readers, for not giving up on this slow story's progession. Ugh, there's just so much I want to put in about other characters, but it'll all come together. You'll be seeing a lot more of _OmaShu_, more Zuko, more evil Azula, more SmellerShot, more Toph-the-football player, more Mai and Jet moments, and believe it or not... more OnJi backstory! It'll all be worth it... my goal is to finish before the final episodes come out! Hugs. --MM**


	14. Jet

Nearly a month passed, and Aang had successfully managed to hide his Avatar identity, save for one small slip of airbending as he almost got tackled by an entire fleet of Football Players. It was all Coach Bumi's idea to place Aang as the interceptor one day during gym class, but from that day on, the young boy _suggested_ that he was better as an aggressive linebacker.

He remembered how he could hear Toph's snickering voice within the rubble.

"There's still hope, Twinkle Toes," she said to him roughly one day, walking off the field after an intense drilling session. "Come next year, you'll be ready to take on the scrawniest opponent at our games!"

Aang did not hesitate to give Toph a teasing punch on the arm. "You're lucky I'm only here for a year, because that's pretty bold talk for somebody shorter than _me,_" he said playfully, taking much advantage of this teasing session.

"_Hey... hey..._" Toph looked to Aang's general direction, smiling wryly. "Didn't I tell you that shortness makes you more in _tune with the ground?"_

And promptly, the girl kicked one of her heels and summoned the dirt below to attach to Aang's ankles like rocky anthills, making him flinch in surprise. Toph didn't move before the boy was sent by his ankles forward with the ground below him, and Aang yelped, his whole body shifting back and forth with his arms flapping wildly to keep balance.

Toph could only laugh amusingly, but only before the boy impulsively bended two stumps of Earth from the ground, holding onto them to keep himself from falling over. The Earth anthills quickly melted back to the ground as Toph just stood there, quite impressed at her classmate's improvements.

"Have you been practicing behind my back?"

"Maybe..." Aang gave a wry smile and turned to Toph, whose analytical expression was priceless.

"Ha." She clicked a heel to the ground to make one of the stumps shatter into dirt. Aang lost his balance and knocked the other stump over, falling to the ground.

The falling didn't seem to shatter the boy's spirit, as he knew that he had almost outsmarted the toughest Earthbender in the school. "I got in tune– _I got in tune with the ground!_"

"Well _duh_... shortness," Toph replied, punching the boy's arm playfully as he got back up from the ground, lending him a hand as a friend. "Nice job with the reflexes."

"Thanks, Sifu Toph!" Aang felt so happy and proud, he could not fight the urge to pick up his classmate for a hug.

"_Don't you dare–"_

The little girl sensed this coming, but before she could Earthbend a wall between them... Aang leapt over to her side and picked her up friend like a baby again. And Toph did the only thing she _could _do... kick her legs feverishly like a baby and say "_put me down!"_ ... with a few pieces of dirt flying up to hit Aang at the back of his head.

"Sheesh!" Toph remarked as the boy finally put her down after a few seconds. "What's with this positive mood all of a sudden? Did Jeong Jeong give you an _A_ on our poetry exam or something?"

"Oh, um... not really," Aang gave a nervous laugh. He'd just barely gotten a _B-_ but nevertheless, the young airbender still smiled over at the girl, immediately thinking about another one. "I think it's the _Omashu _play. Everything is just going _so well _with it."

Toph raised an eyebrow. "You mean you actually _enjoy_ playing the lover-boy? Ugh..."

"Mm-hmm," Aang said almost in a dream-like way. "And Haru says I'm a natural at it."

_He couldn't help but recall the past few weeks in terms of play rehearsals, how Katara was trying really hard to memorize her lines along with him, whenever they would meet for extra practice on Saturdays. Neither of them had had the guts to practice the kissing scene just yet... but the boy was still hopeful. Haru insisted, however, that On Ji memorize the Oma lines with Katara during rehearsals, and watching the two of them work together onstage was almost like a threat to the young boy; he didn't want his heart's wish to be shattered at the last moment._

_Kuzon's occasional nudging of "Um... am I saying this the right way?" was not a big help, either._

"Well... don't let it get to your head. It's just a play, right?"

Toph's eyes were narrowing curiously at the boy, as they continued to walk out of the football field. The crush he had was an obvious one to her, since almost everyone in the school had known about the leads in _OmaShu_. Toph could sense it, easily... back when the two of them would leave the football field to meet with Teo and his gardening class... she felt Aang's heart race for a certain girl.

"I know," Aang said under his breath, but still believing that something extraordinary was possible with this romantic play.

Toph kept her voice calm and chillingly sincere at the next statement: "I mean, Katara's real sweet and all, but she has a lot going on... I don't want you to get upset."

"Yeah, thanks, Toph. I'll try not to— wait— WHAT??"

And suddenly, Aang's entire universe caved in on him, along with the snickering laughter of the girl that stood beside him. But Toph broke into a fierce run towards the girl's locker room before the boy could question anything, and Aang chased after her, dodging a handful a dirt pieces that she threw back at him.

Aang let his airbending endurance take full swing, making him catch up with the running little girl immediately. As he grabbed her arm to stop, Toph was still laughing, whereas Aang's face was one of deep concern and painful humiliation.

"Sorry, I just _had _to say something; it was killing me!" Toph said between laughing breaths, not wanting to pick a new fight of resistance.

"But how— _How _did you–" Aang's mind was shaking, barely able to pick the right words.

"I can see your heartbeats, stupid," Toph chuckled slowly feeling a bit of warmth return to her cheeks embarrassingly. "But listen, you really gotta be careful... she just got over a pretty long crush, so she might not be looking for anything right now."

Aang's eyes practically sunk deep into his skull, hearing those casual words come out from the most sincere friend he had. Was it possible? In a way, he knew that the lovely waterbender must've had a crush at some point in her life... but _how serious could it have been?_

The boy closed his eyes momentarily, held his breath, and asked the inevitable. "Who was he?"

"Jet."

It came in a simplistic tone, almost as light as the breeze that passed through the air, but Toph's concerned look never left her. She could feel Aang's heart beat rapidly on the inside... violently... and then gradually wear itself out into a slow pace within a matter of seconds. The young airbender looked at the girl hard, his lips quivering... not knowing what to say next.

A million questions were running in his mind, and yet here he was, speechless and scared.

But then the school gong broke the silence from overhead, and reality checked in. The two friends blinked at the sound of passing period, knowing that they only had a few minutes before their next class. Toph placed a comforting hand on Aang's shoulder.

"We can talk more about this at lunch, if you want, but I gotta jet--"

Toph flinched, sadly cursing herself for not watching her mouth, and in a moment of instinct... she gave her friend a deep, almost roughened-up hug. Aang just stood there, still flabbergasted, but feeling a little more life come back to him in the process.

"Come on, we only got two minutes to change, Twinkle Toes. _Move it,_" came her commanding voice as she parted, punching him on the shoulder and taking off in her own respective direction.

_Jet... of all people. Why did Katara have to like the coolest break-dancing, sword-swinging guy in the school? _Aang thought to himself, sadly. _And even more so... why didn't it work out??_

One step after another, the boy started to walk again, wondering how in the world he could manage the rest of that dreadful day.

* * *

"C'mon, guys. _Focus! _I'm seeing every other step show up half-a-second too late."

The same group was sitting under the Oak Tree outside during lunch, and Jet almost didn't seem to notice the panting breaths of a squatting Smellerbee, or the bullets of sweat streaming down Pipsqueak's nose. Longshot had taken a break five minutes ago, massaging his ankle from a slight twist he'd done to it a few days ago, but still... that didn't stop his eyes from looking sternly at Jet from the shade.

"We have four days before the big _Street Fest _in GaoLing... and if we do well over there, that'll be our ticket for setting the competition at Ba Sing Se. We can do this!"

Jet's eyes were furrowing strangely with encouragement and determination at the same time, and as Smellerbee regained herself back into a dancing position, her enthusiasm went down a notch. It was obvious that she wanted to speak her mind, but the reminder of the Street Fest deadline was telling her not to say anything.

"Now... let's do this again, from the top..." the young man with wispy brown hair turned his back again to perform the dance moves as well. "Pipsqueak, I want your arms _sharper _when they cross at the second count of eight. Longshot, watch our shoulder shuffles. Take note because we changed them a little bit. Smellerbee... a smoother transition on the first quarter turn, and _don't forget to stomp_ at the marks.

"_JET!_"

Smellerbee's eyes fully emerged from the eyeliner as she said that name, frustrated and still panting. The young man on front of her barely flinched at hearing his name, but his eyes closed with grief as he turned around to look at the young thin girl.

"I get it, okay? _I get it. _That's the fifth time you tell me to stomp at the marks, and I'm doing _the best that I can!_"

Jet wasn't sure if it was the intense heat of the sun that was making her speak this way, or if it was really the fact that they'd been working too hard this past week. Strange, though... because Smellerbee was not usually one to complain about dancing.

"Jet, please... can't we just take a break?" Pipsqueak suggested in his low voice, wiping off a bit of sweat on his forehead with a hand.

The young man couldn't believe it, shifting his eyes from one exhausted dancer to another, and then to Longshot, who looked just as tired and upset in the shade.

"What's the matter with you guys?" Jet asked them inquisitively, but with concern in his voice. "This is _Street Fest._ We've done it for the past two years, and now we actually have a chance in making the top ten... as _highschoolers._ Can you imagine? All we need to do is _stay focused _for it."

"We _are _focused, Jet." Smellerbee reprimanded with a slight husk in her voice, narrowing her eyes at their leader angrily. "_You're_ the one who's acting like we're not good enough, making us work all the way to our fricken' bones."

"Bee, that's enough." Jet spoke assertively. "I'm not _making _you do anything. If you want this title as much as I do, then you _of all people _should know what it takes to be the best dancer."

"Yeah, and we were doing just _fine _up until a few days ago." Smellerbee threw those words at Jet like fresh spit, and then proceeded to move and lean against the tree for shade.

"What're you talking about?" Jet refused to lose that sense of leadership he had under the dance crew, looking at Smellerbee straight in the eye.

"It's like all of a sudden, you woke up and realized you were spending way too much time thinking about Miss Sharpy over there..." The girl nudged her head over at a small crowd of students, acknowledging the girl with jet-black hair who was talking to the Fire Nation princess. "...that you almost _forgot _that your crew was practicing for the Street Fest. Now you're trying to make up for lost time by working us to death."

"She's right, Jet." Pipsqueak finally moved and sat himself down in the shade of the oak tree, continuing to wipe of the sweat above his eyes. "If there's anybody whose unprepared for the tournament, it's _you_."

"I don't believe this..." Jet shook his head, refusing to take in the truth that was being thrown at him like on of Smellerbee's daggers. "Longshot, what do you have to say?"

And the tall slender boy furrowed his thick eyebrows in the shade, not even wanting to look at Jet in the face as he continued to massage his weak ankle. Smellerbee slowly placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, making him slump with the frustration he showed in his eyes. Saying nothing, in spite of it being the boy's demeanor, still made Jet absolutely defeated and horrible.

"Well great, then." Jet brooded under his breath. "You guys wanna relax under the shade? _Fine. _I'm gonna keep dancing."

And he ended it like that... turning himself around with his back against his friends, counting off the beats under his breath and letting the scorching sun fall down on him as he did all the movements. He kept his mind focused with every small move he made, noting the little mistakes he would have to improve on with day's time.

His eyes, however, lingered over in the distance as he danced, towards the same girl that Smellerbeehad pointed out earlier... and Jet let the silky texture of her hair embrace his sharp movements and daring turns.

* * *

A giant poster appeared somewhere in that afternoon, its size taking up a good fifteen square feet of wall in the great hall. Students from both sides of traffic had barely been able to pass without taking a glimpse at it proud shades of Red and Black. The image was of a young woman grinning, with dark locks of hair and an eerily determined look in her copper eyes. Her arms were crossed. Her stance, uneven. Like she was pretending to show that she could be like any other student passing by in Praying Mantis High School.

In the background, a grand logo of the Fire Nation was situated in brilliant black, while the young woman representing it continued to smile to its audience. Below the girl's firm arms, there were words written in delicate black ink, in a style that could only deliver its threatening message: _For Strength, For Discipline, For Order. Your Student Body President._

Katara's eyes glimmered in disbelief as she stood there after the end of the school day... in front of that new poster of Azula in all its menace... wondering how in this side of the world she could compete with such a brilliant young student. The young waterbender stared at those sadistic copper eyes that seemed to stare back at her, saying something along the lines of "_I will devour your very soul if you even think about running against me._"

The girl felt her shoulders slump as she held her history books over her chest. It was strange to think that a poster could suddenly make the hallway seem so much colder... and she'd have to see this whenever she went by to her locker?

"This isn't right..." she muttered to herself, continuing to study her classmate's face as it was framed menacingly on the wall.

"No, it isn't," a familiar raspy voice approached then and stopped at Katara's side, touching her shoulder briefly for a greeting. The image of his sister like that both amazed and discomforted him, yet the boy was not at all surprised to see it.

"I guess she wants us all to know she means business this year," Zuko added, after a slight moment's pause from studying the poster. "Like we don't have a choice _except_ to follow her."

Katara turned over to look at Zuko, how he looked at his sister's portrait with frustrated eyes. She sighed and turned her eyes back towards the poster, already sensing defeat before any sort of registration document could be filled out. And before she knew it, Zuko playfully hit her on the arm with a drumstick he'd held on his hand. Katara gasped a small "_ouch!" _and turned to look at him grinning under his loose hair, silently telling her to go for the impossible anyway.

"Zuko, be honest. Can you _really _see me as a leader? Next to _this girl?_" She gestured harshly over to the poster in front of them, frowning as her eyes met the young woman's deadly copper.

Taking a deep breath, the boy crossed his arms limply as he stared at the young waterbender, almost mimicking the expression of his sister on the wall. "I'm not answering that."

"What? _Why?_" Katara's cheeks suddenly felt heavier, looking at him dumbfounded.

"Well," the boy began to speak coolly, "weren't you the one who told me about not listening to what other people say? How you have to believe in yourself?"

Katara raised an eyebrow at him, as if trying to weigh in this philosophical, metaphysical lingo that Zuko was all so suddenly tossing at her. She didn't blink, nor did she know how to answer that. Her mind was trying to remember when exactly she has _said_ that to him.

"...I think I wrote that down somewhere..." Zuko continued, looking down to check one of his pockets.

That's when Katara blinked.

"Um... Zuko, I didn't say that." Katara retorted, grinning with disbelief. "That was Mr. Iroh last week, when he invited us for tea. Remember?"

The boy stared at her and flinched, quickly rummaging into his pockets and reading through a few scraps of crumpled paper. Indeed, he found one... and it was exactly what he had said before, on his uncle's signature tea-leaf logo paper.

"Oh." Zuko's face became sheepish, with a slight look of defeat on his face, "...but... but you know what? That's not the point. The point is... you have to believe in _yourself_. First and foremost."

He pointed the same drumstick at her for more clarification, taking the other drumstick out of his pocket to twirl with it playfully. Katara sighed, staring out elsewhere, refusing to look at her arch-nemesis that was on the poster.

"What this school needs is representation," The girl clenched her hands as she continued to hold her books steady in front of her frame, and then finally looked back at Zuko with a determined look in her eye. "It needs to change, and enrich the cultures from the four different nations."

Katara slowly brought a wider, more certain grin to her face, shifting her eyes along Zuko's own.

"I can do this."

"Yeah, you can." Zuko hit the drumstick playfully onto her arm again and smiled while his face turned over to the giant poster. "You nearly drowned her in a tidal wave last year, so I'm sure you can outvote her."

"Ugh... Zuko, I swear... if you bring that up again _one more time, _I'm gonna..."

"...Flip out?"

"_Gaahhh!_"

Katara didn't waste another second and started hitting the boy with her history books, playfully, as the young man immediately held his drumsticks in defense and made little yelping sounds in the process.

Zuko jumped a few steps backwards and tried to run off the opposite direction, but the girl's keen eye got her to throw a hard book at her moving target. It hit the boy square on the back, and he fell playfully onto the marble floor of the hallway, playing death and trying hard not to laugh.

Thank goodness it was the end of the day. Otherwise students would've just stared blankly and wondered what the hell was going on between those two.

"Hey, I warned you!" Katara chortled. "Don't _think_ I'll be going over there to help you up."

Zuko narrowed his eyes, still laughing softly, and lifted his upper body up from the ground to see that girl's stern look in the distance. Her arms were crossed, and her nose raised high to show that she was keeping her word.

She knew how much this'stuck-up' pose of hers annoyed him, and the boy sighed and took the liberty of getting himself up to wipe his clothes off of wrinkles. Not only that... but he picked up the same book that the girl with hairloops had generously thrown at him and approached her with to return it to her kindly.

Katara shook her head in disbelief while watching all of this, and not being able to keep it in any longer... she giggled... amazed that Zuko just _went _with it all_. _Funny, how despite his dark, rebellious-looking demeanor, the boy was really a gentleman... and Katara sometimes felt flattered to be one very few people who knew that.

"Just be ready for anything," Zuko then said, finally handing Katara her history book. "I don't doubt that she'll try to mess you up, but keep reminding yourself why you're doing this."

Katara felt the threatening glace of Azula at the corner of her eye, and said "Yeah... thanks."

And Zuko shrugged a quick "_you're welcome_" with his shoulders, which made Katara wince from a certain time she had done the same gesture herself. It was incredible how the two of them seemed to feed off of each other's habits. She then took a small, courageous breath after looking at the poster one last time, and then waved a hand to Zuko for a 'goodbye,' turning around to head for her locker.

Zuko had a question in mind... something that he was debating to ask her all day. He wasn't sure if this was the right moment, or if just writing it down on a note would deliver the message much easier. As he was watching Katara leave, however, he as if felt that any other time would make the moment even more difficult to go through. He just _couldn't _go through another day without bringing it up.

The boy bit his lower lip with hesitation, and with a quick shuffling of his feet, he caught up to Katara's brisk walk down the hallway. Touching her shoulder with one hand got her to stop and look at him curiously again.

Her perturbing blue eyes then caught Zuko by surprise, making him feel uneasy as he tried to find the right words to say next.

"Listen... um..." Zuko felt very, extremely awkward about this all of a sudden. "I wanted to talk to you about next weekend. It's... it's my mom's birthday."

"Oh really?" Katara exclaimed sweetly. "That's funny; Ms. Ursa never mentioned anything about her birthday coming up."

"Yeah... she's weird about talking about her personal life...she doesn't like to bring it up, much..." Zuko trailed off nervously, feeling quite comfortable just talking about his mother for the time being. But as he saw Katara's keen eyes for listening, it made him realize he was losing his main point.

"Anyway, we– the Royal Family– um, we have this overnight celebration for her on Ember Island every year. Bonfires, fireworks, dancing..." Zuko suddenly felt ridiculous, describing things that would make 5-year-olds smile with glee, and he ended his statement with "...it's some stupid tradition, I guess."

"That sounds pretty cool," Katara said cheerfully, but she couldn't help but notice a burning sense of nervousness in her friend's features. He was almost shaking because of it. Something she wasn't used to seeing.

"Well, the thing is... everyone has to bring a date."

Zuko blinked, feeling like he made that statement too flatly, and quickly picked up words for an explanation, scratching the back of his head with from all the anxiety. "It's tradition... and, um... well for a long time, I just brought Mai."

Katara nodded, keeping her mouth closed and looking at this sincere boy in the eye. Zuko continued to speak his mind, trying hard not to feel the shaking in his voice.

"And... well I wouldn't have a _problem_ going to the party by myself -- I mean, it's my _mom..._ but... but I have this feeling that Mai's going to be there, too. She and Azula are like sisters... and... and I don't know if I'd be able to..."

In a small shuddering breath, the boy placed a hand to his temple to think, looking elsewhere. Katara gazed at him sadly, and quickly found the strength to say something to him.

"Zuko... are you trying to invite me to your mother's party?"

The boy with the scar then looked at the ground, too embarrassed to meet her eyes. "...Yeah..."

"...as a date?" Katara challenged, her blue eyes thinning into a smile within those thin hairloops.

"No!" Zuko flinched and turned to her again, almost too quickly, and stopped by the surprised look she made. "I--I mean... I'm sorry, it's... not that I wouldn't _want..._ I mean...it's..."

This sort of talk was _killing _him, she could tell, but Katara could only stand back and be entertained. She knew that he meant well, and that silly embarrassment he was putting himself through was something for the highschool record books. But Katara would never be that cruel.

Finally, the boy managed to finish his statement. "...It's more like a _distraction, _I... guess."

The girl laughed musically and approached him, gathering her thoughts about the situation.

"So, you're asking me to go to Ms. Ursa's birthday party, on Ember Island, for the weekend... to make sure you don't go emotionally crazy around Mai?"

"Y— yes?"

The boy waited for her reply, feeling like he was sweating bullets in the back of his head.

"Zuko... say no more. I would be honored to be your _distraction_," she said kindly, with a slight glimmer in her eyes, bowing her head to add a little exaggeration on him.

And the boy slumped his figure into a smiling sigh, feeling much more relieved that he had gotten that question out of his system... and with a very nice answer in return. A bit of color finally came back to his face, knowing that Katara probably wouldn't feel too awkward about the whole thing..

"I'll try to be a good host, I promise," Zuko then added with much honesty. "I mean I'll probably be with the band for most of the night, but I'll make sure you'll have a good time."

"Please..." Katara reeled, "It's the _beach_ for God's sake! Don't worry about me."

Zuko grinned in reassurance. "Okay."

A slight pause passed between them, and Katara wasn't sure if it was the best time to just go and let these plans and thoughts sink in. She looked over at Zuko's reflecting copper eyes, hidden under his messy hair, and wondered what was on his mind.

If he was thinking the same thing she was, at the moment.

"How are you doing, with... with all this?" She asked him quietly, a little unsure about how he'd respond. "You haven't really talked about her much."

"Mai's fine." The boy suddenly became very interested in his shoes. "I can imagine she's keeping herself occupied -- with all that art stuff -- something about a senior exhibit for next year."

Katara nodded in understanding. Part of her wanted to say something else... something that she would probably relate to. And her eyebrows furrowed from wondering if she should ask him right then and there. With a tightening stomach, she decided to go through with the question.

"Do you miss her?"

"Sometimes." The boy responded honestly, in his soft-spoken raspy voice, and he looked at Katara as he saw her form almost slump with defeat, feeling abandoned over something from long ago. Her hairloops couldn't hide the glimmering reflection of her blue eyes, no matter how much she bit her lip to repress it.

"I miss him sometimes, too..."

"Jet?"

It took her a second but Katara nodded angrily, nesting her chin with disappointment as she began to mutter more words. They had talked about him before, and even though this happened a long time ago... Zuko could tell her clenching hands that pain was still in her system, like she had so many memories to filter out.

"Sometimes I tell myself that last year never happened... like it was nothing but a long nightmare... chasing after him like that, pretending like I was someone _different... _somebody completely _stupid_. God, I must've looked like such an idiot to him."

"That's not true." Zuko said calmly, knowing how the wrong choice of tone would set her off.

"I wasted a whole _year _trying to get this guy to like me, Zuko. Do you know how many things I missed out on? How many guys I probably _turned down_ because of him?" Katara felt her voice rising from all of the pain, clenching her books to her frame even more.

"Maybe he just had his eyes set on someone else," Zuko suggested with willful honesty. "That happens."

The poor girl shook her head in denial, pursing her lips as if keeping herself from crying, or perhaps from yelling something obscene. Zuko didn't know what he could say next, or if a simple hug would just seal everything that he wanted to tell her. That life would go on.

He did hug her, slowly approaching her and embracing the girl's forearms that held her books so tightly to her form. Zuko knew that denial would eventually have to fade from her, and perhaps when that day came, they could talk about those days of lost love with a strong cup of ginseng tea.

_Oh God... tea? _Zuko thought. _I really have to stop visiting Uncle so often._

Katara accepted that hug sweetly, but with her mind still wandering through the many opportunities she would have willingly 'given up' on Jet but refused. She took in the discomforting smell of smoke through Zuko's clothing to wake her mind up, and she then opened her eyes and let herself part from him with a smile.

"Anyway, I better head to _OmaShu_ rehearsal before I'm late... again..." the girl frowned, slightly ashamed of this reputation she'd given herself, but not at all regretting the time spent with a friend. "Where're you off to?"

"Detention." Zuko said it as if it were as common as going to the bathroom. He lowered his head to search for something in his pant pockets, taking out a small metallic canister with a blue dragon on it. "But I'm stepping out for a cigarette, first. See you later?"

Katara stared at that familiar blue dragon he tossed casually with one hand, and lowered her eyes when she looked at him. It was the reason he was accumulating so many hours in school with Vice Principal Zhao, and yet the boy didn't care.

"Yeah, see you," she placed a comforting hand on his shoulder for a good-bye, her eyes trying to hide a certain sadness in them.

Zuko smiled at her just as casually, taking a small breath before turning away. Katara watched him leave for a few moments, before taking a couple of steps forward in her own direction. She was bracing herself for the long lecture that Sokka would probably be giving her at rehearsal, about picking out her friends wisely and accurately.

And she cursed the fact that she couldn't waterbend inside school grounds.

**A/N - Don't hate me, Kataangers. I'm just keeping this highschool universe real... with friendships and heartache and all that jazz. But I'll stay true to what I had in mind originally. Oh! And in case you didn't spot the hints, Zuko's a drummer! With this band that his cousin Lu Ten and his buddies put together. I kinda saw him as an angsty drummer, for some reason. I love drummers... ) --MM**


	15. Dancing

**F/N - Brace yourself, things get a little serious and scary by the end of this one. Nobody dies... but gah... it's highschool. Enjoy!**

"Sokka, how many times do I have to clarify this? We're just _friends!"_

Katara almost threw her _OmaShu _script on her brother's head as she sat in the auditorium next to Suki, trying to have a small chat with the girl as they overheard another conversation from the opposite side of her searing row. Apparently, Sokka seemed to enjoy talking about his sister's personal life amongst his play buddies from the Wildnerness Club... lingering on some examples of bad choices... oblivious that it had nothing to do with his business.

'_And then she shows up late for dinner, for the THIRD DAY in a row, with some lame excuse about HotMan needing to talk about his mom's party... I'm telling you, I don't trust this guy.'_

Katara growled frustratingly, turning her body around completely to hit her brother over the head with her rolled-up OmaShu script. Suki shook her head in dismay, holding the girl back before she could hit her skeptic boyfriend again.

"Hey, I'm just expressing my Big Brother opinion over here..." Sokka ducked from Katara's script-swinging, "maybe if you hear it enough, you eventually agree with me."

"But Sokka, you've never even _talked_ to Zuko." Suki raised her voice calmly, preventing Katara's veins from popping out of her head. "He probably isn't that bad of a person, either."

"Sukz... _seriously?_" The young water tribesman stared at his girlfriend across from Katara's shoulder, avoiding eye contact with his sister at all costs. "You're taking _HotMan's _side on this one!?"

"Why not?" Katara then spoke, frowning at the brow and crossing her arms. "I mean we've all known Zuko since the third grade... theleastyou can do is get to know him, and quit criticizing me about it."

"_Criticizing? _The guy's been nothing but trouble ever since he showed up to school with a _scar on his face._" Sokka scoffed over to his friends."What do you expect me to do? Bake him cookies?"

It didn't take much time for the young waterbender to raise her voice again, and the boy just pretended to hear an intriguing story from his circle of Wilderness Club buddies.

Hard to believe, but Aang and Kuzon had little success in reading their lines together onstage during that intense dialogue from the audience seating... as it seemed that the siblings' voices seemed to demand attention from the handful of people in rehearsal. Onji and Haru exchanged odd, nervous glances at each other from the wings of the stage, wondering who should be the one to take charge and stop this argument from getting worse.

Aang tried not to think about the subject matter too much, since he had long been meditating profusely on the fact that Zuko and Katara were nothing except friends. He had Toph's words of wisdom running along in the back of his mind like the cool air of the afternoon breeze, finally feeling more comfortable about this secret devotion he had with the pretty girl.

Haru sighed and quickly did what he could. "Look guys, could you... um... please deal with this outside? We have less than an hour, and we haven't even gotten through Shu's scene..."

On Ji approached the boys onstage, trying to keep them focused on the scene while the director shooed and escorted the rest of the company out the door. Katara decided to stay behind, letting Suki deal with her brother's prejudices outside the auditorium, while she held her breath and braced herself for the next scene she had as Oma.

For some reason, she couldn't remember all of her lines, and she didn't know if it was Sokka's condescending words about someone he'd never met... or if it was the fact that she was suddenly thinking about that mysterious boy so intensely... wondering why he'd gotten that scar...

It had been only a few days since Zuko had cordially invited Katara to Ms. Ursa's birthday celebration at Ember Island, and that news had seemed to spread like wildfire among the local fire nation community at the school. The girl could not understand why her brother would be so brutal about the friendship... since it was clearly not causing anybody harm... and she refused to count the many reasons as to why that boy would immediately start talking about it amongst his friends. The rumors came without a single surprise to the girl, but she didn't care.

All she cared about was that somebody was finally being recognized. It was like all of a sudden, Katara felt a responsibility to that young man... sensing that he was on the brink of losing himself completely if he didn't have the comforting arms of a friend.

And she wasn't about to fail her first official duty as the unelected Class President of Praying Mantis High. No siree.

"Hey Katara..." On Ji studied the older girl's unpleasant glance towards the stage, seeing that her mind was clearly reminiscing about that last argument. "Um, I was just about to go through the next Oma and Shu scene with the guys. Did you want to read with Aang?"

The little girl fumbled with her side bangs slightly, nervous over the tone of voice that Katara would choose for her. Much to her surprise, and Aang's... the young waterbender smiled in disposition as she went up the stairs to the stage.

"Yeah, of course. I'm... sorry about the fuss back there..." Katara said, casting her eyes over to the stage wings in embarrassment. "My brother's really been on my case, lately."

Kuzon snorted uncontrollably, and Aang quickly elbowed him near the ribs in response. The young girl grinned dismissively as she sat herself next to Aang on the same boulder box, not hesitating to give the boy a small hug with one arm as she did so.

Aang looked elsewhere shyly, but not really minding the blush on his face... or the fact that their arms were so close, he could almost lean against the lovely girl easily.

As Haru re-entered the theatre, approached the stage easily, directing his attention to the eager cast members on the stage. "I think we can start off when Oma and Shu are beginning to Earthbend inside the caves for the first time... now this is going to be really special."

Haru turned over to acknowledge his shy little stage manager once again, who immediately smiled to her cast members in return

"On Ji and I came up with an amazing choreographed routine for the Earthbending sequence. It looks a lot like the traditional bending, but even better... with a twist of interpretive, dramatic flare... thanks to this girl's impressive dancing ability." He smiled, feeling confident as he leapt onto the wooden stage of the theatre, clearly about to demonstrate to the cast how this Earthbending dance would look like.

"On Ji, care to join me?" Haru lent a kind hand out to his fellow stage manager, and the young girl could not help but blush shyly as well... impulsively looking over at Aang.

"I– it's okay, Haru..." she then said nervously. "Um... I'd much rather watch it to see how it looks... it's not completely done yet."

"Aw, come on On Ji!" Kuzon kicked her playfully from his seat, acknowledging the open hand that Haru was still holding out for her. "Here I'll even drum the beat for you, if you want. Is that cool, Haru?"

"Sure that's fine." The young man's mustache moved into a hopeful grin as the young boy got up to get bongo drums, but looking slightly hesitant about the idea of dancing by himself.

"Yeah we'd love to see you dance," Katara then offered her own words of encouragement, and Aang followed with a nodding to the head.

The girl remained hesitant under her bangs, glancing over at the young airbender's silver eyes that practically gleam brilliantly at her. On Ji took a deep breath then, and slowly accepted Haru's hand at his side for the dancing demonstration. Kuzon sat back on his own boulder box with the drums, waiting for the cue from the director.

Haru and On Ji braced themselves, turning to face each other for the respectful bow of the waist that commenced any formal dance... and quickly, Kuzon started the uplifting, spiritual beat of the drums.

Aang was so eager to see this combination of Earthbending shoves and pulls with the traditional Firebending slides and jumps that he had always heard about at the Southern Air Temple. His eyes rose as he recognized the usual squating-punch position that Toph would make during her Football drills, and On Ji and Haru had done it together, facing their small audience with smiles on their faces. They did a few more rough lunges with their arms in unison... over their heads, across from each other, and as the bongo beat continued more intensely, Aang beamed seeing that their feet and shoulder movements were becoming more like a Hip Hop dance.

It almost reminded him of the crunches and arm locks that Jet would usually do with the Oak Tree clan... but with more dramatic Earthbending powerplay. On Ji was stepping up a little with the knee-bending and hip locks, while Haru managed to keep his movements at a less intense level. It showed how Oma was slowly discovering her Earthbending spirit among the caves... and those graceful turns she made with her ankles... it was salsa!

Katara noticed it too, seeing those endurant turns of the arms and twists of the feet that usually came from Firebending dances. On Ji was skipping a little as she moved closer to Haru, making a powerful Earthbending punch to the sky with a grin as she looked up at Haru's face. Aang was delighted – this was probably a deep moment of passion between Oma and Shu, like remembering why they were creating those caves. Aang could not help but blush and keep watching. And then Haru stepped up, bringing stronger and sharper Earthbending squats and curving his back in as an intriguing Hip Hop pose. On Ji looked like she was echoing his movements in the background... giving those moves a more graceful, Firebending quality to them. The young airbender could not _wait _to tell Jet about all these moves!

Aang noticed how between every three or four moves, the couple would look at each other lovingly within their dance. So far he spotted two moments where they would draw their faces so close, they were almost rubbing their noses sweetly. His heart was leaping as he noticed all the symbolism that was going into the dance... and knowing that he would be sharing this awesome dance routine with the amazing girl sitting next to him.

_I'm gonna learn to dance like that? _The boy could not feel more motivated to memorize his lines, exchanging smiles with Katara as she also seemed to be quite impressed.

But then something caught his eye during the last few moments of the routine... in the way that On Ji was doing her backward walks and her leaps for transitions. Her feet were so graceful in those fractions of a second, as if they had been barely touching the floor at all. Aang noticed her arm positioning, how they spread out at her sides like draping and invisible tarp. It was all happening in slow motion to the young boy... almost as if he had seen those classical movements before.

And then it hit him. The arm pose, especially... that slow raising of the arms to the sky, and quickly chopping them down to the side into like a sharp 'T.' On Ji had done it perfectly.

_It was one that he had seen the young women perform at the Western Air Temple, usually right before they would take off like funnels into the air... spinning their intricate costumes of orange, brown, and white into the soaring sky..._

_No way... _he thought suddenly, raising his eyes to the girl... _it couldn't be._

On Ji and Haru completed their Earthbending dance promptly with an intimate wrapping position, their side arms reaching out at an angle... and the girl's light body resting on one of Haru's squatted knees.

Katara and Kuzon had immediately applauded the two amazing dancers in response, but Aang just sat there, flabbergasted, confused... and almost completely entranced by the young girl's eyes as she smiled shyly at the end of her graceful dance. Aang could not get the idea out of his mind... suddenly remembering how Zhao had mentioned how he despised all these strange kids that Roku took into the school without him knowing_._

_... was On Ji an airbender!?_

* * *

"You know, you've really gotta find some other place to crash after school... you're distracting me."

Mai had been returning from a drink of water at the school, getting herself ready for another afternoon of painting when she heard that familiar voice call out to her by the oak tree. The day was terribly, uncomfortably hot for the afternoon, but nevertheless... the girl did not let a little sun ruin her day at work. Apparently, she wasn't the only student that day who was defying the powers of the heat that day.

"How am I distracting you?" She asked him nonchalantly, tried not to cringe in disgust by the sweat protruding from his shirt.

"I can't concentrate with your pretty face." Jet smiled, as if fully unaware of the sun that was raining down on him with his dance practice. He was all by himself, too.

Mai had practically fallen immune to this boy's flirtatious attempts, after hearing them for over a month, and just brushed it aside with a simple "I'm here to paint, stupid."

Jet laughed, while practicing a certain stomping move with his feet. "Yeah, I've noticed."

This senseless sort of talk was making the girl more eager to get to her art, but she chose to give the boy a piece of her mind. "And you seem to be here all for the sake of being a huge pain. I don't even understand why you dance so much. You're not even that good."

It was then that Jet stopped with his dancing, froze, and took a greater sense of ease while not taking his eyes off of the girl in front of her.

"Wow, you just insulted me... with the largest amount of words I've ever seen come out of your pretty mouth." Jet smirked loosely towards her, but rubbing one of the temples on his head iwth a hand. "Did I forget my birthday?"

Mai refused to even respond to that, watching Jet continue to massage his temple below his strands of sweaty wet hair. He spoke again.

"What makes you dare to say that I'm not a good dancer?"

She knew he was going to bring that up, and Mai sighed, knowing this boy's weak attempts too well all of a sudden. The least she could do was be honest about her extraordinary sense of artistic detail.

"You're about a quarter of a second two slow on the arms, and you make it look painfully obvious that you're trying to impress someone." She said to him faintly, her arms crossed, yet noticing the boy's eyes lingering as if from a slight dizzy spell. "I certainly hope it isn't me. Trust me, you'd be wasting your time."

Jet just stood there, then, covering his eyes with a hand from the sun as he gazed at Mai. Much to the girl's surprise, the boy's smirk seemed to melt away by the intense heat, and it may have been possible that his eyes were frowning at disappointment. He then placed his arms on his hips, still looking at the girl without much of anything to say.

He studied her face, for what seemed minutes in silence between them, and Mai was looking back at him with interest... almost admiring that angry look he was creating.

"Has it occured to you at all that maybe..." he said flatly, "...you just _might _have hurt my feelings just now?"

The girl's eyes thinned, with the feeling that he was finally getting the message straight. "Perhaps."

"Do you feel sorry about it?" the boy said, a bit softer this time, as if wanting to get an honest answer.

Mai just stood there, her slender back towards him as she looked over to the woods, trying hard not to sigh. Her lips pursed with frustration as she did not know how to respond back to Jet. Another handful of seconds seemed to pass by under the sun, before Jet attempted another question.

"... Do you even have a pulse?"

The boy had clearly said this with a bit of humor, acting as if he were in real concern as he approached her quickly. It was then that Mai realized his angry looks had all been a trick. "Here, let me check--"

His hand had barely brushed the sleeve of her arm before she reacted violently with a swish, turning around to have one of her sharp knives glint into existence.

"_Don't... you... touch me."_

The girl's nostrils were flaring as she breathed angrily in front of the boy, and Jet cautiously raised his hands to her, taking a small step backward.

"I didn't take anything -- I swear," he said calmly, but not taking the slight grin from his face.

Her eyes locked with his, as if her mind were refusing to go back to that sudden, almost humiliating chase she had done after him in the woods. What captivated her at the moment wasn't his sudden surrendering pose, but that he remarkably did not seem to be afraid of her at all.

Instead, he looked concerned... almost sorry for her... like he already knew this was all just a defense mechanism. And as much as she tried to compose herself, it frightened Mai, to think that someone she had barely known had immediately expected the worst from her, inside and out.

"How does it feel, Miss Sharpy," The boy then asked her, "to be the only person in the entire school who sees her life as one big dead end_?_"

_No, _she thought... _I won't listen to him. It's a trick. He just wants to mess with my mind... that obnoxious... intimidating..._

"Please, leave me alone," Mai then said quietly, assertively. Dangerously.

"I'm sorry, Mai," Jet said calmly, but with a sense of sadness and defeat in his voice. His eyes were beginning to linger strangely, as he looked up to shield his eyes from the heat. "I can't promise you that."

The girl's eyes frowned in response, lingering themselves out from under her bangs, wondering what the hell of an explanation this young man had to give her now.

"You see," Jet suddenly felt a drop of sweat trickle down his left ear, and his eyes pressed themselves to the ground as he continued to speak to her. "The thing is... I already made a promise this year... and _that's _become a lot more than what I bargained for."

Mai's eyes shifted confusingly at him, studying Jet's face with all of his hesitation and will.

"But I'm not giving up on it. I won't."

A daring hint of a grin came upon Jet's face, then, right as he blinked away the sun's light from above him.

"Anyway... I noticed that your paintings have gotten a little edgier lately... the brush strokes remind me of that long swirly bark of the Redwood trees. They look good."

The girl's eyes thinned dangerously at him still, as if not blinking or wanting to return into an ease until he clearly backed away from her.

"And thanks for the dancing advice. I'll know what to work on for the weekend."

He turned back around towards the Oak Tree, and without a moment's notice brought himself back in his first dancing position in the choreography. Mai was too overturned by the boy's sincerity, and his cryptic use of language... she turned around and found her way towards the canvas near the woods again.

She had made one last glance at the young man dancing – rather poorly with rhythm -- near the oak tree, before glancing at her own easle and deciding that she indeed could not stand in this area of the school any longer. She would not be able to concentrate near that Oak Tree anymore.

The girl was just about to lift up her canvas to fold her easle up, when another unintended glance brought her towards the Oak Tree, and she noticed that the boy had momentarily stopped dancing. He was crouching slightly, his hands to his knees and looking at the ground, panting as if he were suddenly struggling for so much breath.

Mai sighed with impatience, wondering if this was just another trick of his to get attention... and she looked back towards her easel to fold up and leave his sight completely.

But then, an unexpected sound came. It was like someone had accidentally dropped a bag of rice, but as Mai looked back up to the distance... there was nobody else around her.

Nobody except that stupid boy, as she noticed... whose body had all of a sudden appeared to be on the ground.

Mai blinked, in disbelief. _What the hell is he trying to do? _The boy's body was slumped as if he'd strangely decided to take and afternoon nap in the middle of his routine, and his arms were sprawled out... crawling... attempting to get himself to the Oak Tree's shade.

He was still panting. This couldn't have been a trick, she thought, and the girl stepped out of her own shade to try and get a better look to boy's act... but then it occured to her.

_The sun. The scorching heat that it brought this entire week... and that boy... he had reluctantly chosen to practice outside in the sun all those days._

And the boy's crawling got slower.

_Oh no._

"Jet?" Mai called out to him, raising her voice to him only by a notch.The boy was unresponsive to her at that distance and she saw his stomach still moving to take in air. She couldn't see his face, but it was curled up inside his body tightly, like he was in pain. There was nobody else outside the school, and the girl was almost hesitant to face the boy she had so quickly turned away from.

She set her easel down completely and walked toward_s _him.

He'd moved his body slightly, with his chin pressed harshly against the ground as if to breath in the dirt, and the girl's eyes widened from the exhausted, painful look in his flushed face. He was clutching his stomach with an arm.

Her walk quickly became a run, immediately approaching the boy with panting breaths. Jet was breathing painfully, caving into his stomach as if it were the source of all the intense heat flowing into his body at the moment. When Mai pressed a hand onto his arm... it was like touching a warm copper surface of a radiator.

She'd suddenly forgotten how to breathe.

"H– help..." Mai called out to the air around her, looking for someone. Anyone.

"_Please, somebody. HELP!"_

The girl looked around, frantically, holding the boy's head up from the ground to prevent it from drowning in grass and dirt. His eyes were shut closed and his breaths came in deep ventilation, and Mai could not think of anything to do but to hold him closely, her long sleeves covering his flushed face from the scorching sun above.

Her eyes were betraying her as she breathed, slowly beginning to glimmer down at the boy as she sat there, helpless for what seemed the longest seconds of her life. Mai shut her eyes, wondering if just _believing_ would be enough to cure him.

Suddenly two figures appeared at the corner of her eye from the school's entrance, clearly having heard the girl's voice in the previous attempts... and it wasn't long before Smellerbee cried "_Jet!?_" and broke into a run with Longshot towards the Oak Tree.

Mai had not even known these kids' names, and seeing them approach her all of a sudden... she felt very out of place. It was like she was unceremoniously recruiting herself as part of the Oak Tree clan, holding Jet like that, and as the other two friends glanced at her in a puzzled, extremely concerned way... the pale girl held on to him even less.

The girl with the cropped red hair crouched down to study her friend, hearing his groans as if they were the result of an excessive beating.to the stomach. She did not hesitate to place hands on his shoulders.

"Oh god, Jet... _what did you do to him?" _Smellerbee turned sharply towards the pale girl as she watched her examine her friend's body.

Mai was taken aback from those interrogating words.

"I... _nothing– _I just left... and..." Mai suddenly felt extremely uncomfortable hanging on to Jet's upper body, but as she moved her hand to his forehead, she flinched at the heat.

Smellerbee gasped in reaction and immediately checked it herself. "He... he has a fever..."

Mai replaced her trembling palm over Jet's forehead to lift him and roll him forward on his side, blocking the sunlight with her own body. His eyes were shut tightly, his hair sodden from sweat, and she couldn't think of anything else to do except watch him panting for breath so desperately.

Smellerbee placed a fingertip towards Jet's parted lips, realizing they were very dry. Longshot was furrowing his brows in concern as he carefully crouched near Jet's neck, and felt the underside of his friend's jaw for a pulse.

He didn't blink once.

"I think it's heat exhaustion..." came his extremely tranquil voice, and he looked at Smellerbee."Bring him into the shade; I'll get Nurse Yugoda."

And not a moment too soon, Longshot got up and dashed towards the fountain of the courtyard_, _the pain in his ankle immediately leaving him.

Mai exchanged an awkward glance with the scrawny girl who was still sitting next to her, and quickly hid her paleness and concern under the bangs in her eyes. Smellerbee glared at her skeptically, but not without a glance over to her friend as she caressed his cheek. He was still breathing, thank goodness, but it was so stiffled and weak, the boy could still not open his eyes.

"Come on, grab one of his arms. I'll take the other one..." the younger girl asserted directly, and Mai silently stood up and did what was suggested, not taking her eyes off of Jet's flushed face.

How in the world did that happen so quickly?

They both carefully tried to drag him a few feet under the Oak Tree, not speaking a word to each other. Their eyes were looking down to the boy as he was still unresponsive to them... refusing to make a sound except for a few groans... and Mai felt herself trembling by his weak state, she just closed her eyes and crossed her arms for warmth, leaning against the tree. She could feel the goosebumps forming onto her skin.

Smellerbee gave her another skeptical look, before sitting down next to Jet again and placing her hands onto her friend's cheeks. "Jet, can you hear me? It's Bee..."

The girl's husky and childish voice made the young man stir, bring him to open his eyes under the shade of the Oak Tree, looking over to Smellerbee in his weakened state. She couldn't see his face, but from what she could notice he was still breathing slowly, and the girl immediately looked away in mere sadness... and perhaps in slight atonement of herself.

And when the boy shifted his head slightly, taking in a small glimpse of a girl who was leaning against the tree... it was like Jet concluded that this all must've been a painful, hallucinating dream in his head. His body still panted softly for air, and he fell back into Smellerbee's eyes once again before closing them in her comfort.

The skinny girl felt his clothes, how he was sweating through them profusely, and immediately decided in action. "Listen, Jet..." she spoke to him in his half-conscious state. "I'm gonna go get some water... Mai?"

She flinched at the sound of her name, not expecting it at all.

"Quick... help me take his shirt off."

"_What?"_

"You heard me, Sharpy," Smellerbee husked, moving Jet's frame to sit himself up. She began tugging at the lower part of his thick green shirt. "His body needs to cool down, fast... so quit standing around and _help me._"

The tall, pale girl's eyes glimmered, frowning as she looked over at the girl named Bee as she tried to hold steady to Jet's weight. He was so limp, and her skin still felt bloodless and numb from just seeing him like that... but she knew she had to help.

_But how could she, if she never had to help anyone before?_

"Listen... um, Bee..." The girl tried to sound reasonable, despite of the gripping situation before them.

"_Smeller_bee," came the correction with bite."And hurry up, so I can go get the water!"

Mai did not want to argue, being how stressful the situation was for the girl, so she bit her mouth and went back over to Jet... placing a nervous grip on his sweaty shirt and undershirt to lift them up while Smellerbee held onto him. From what they saw from his back, his skin seemed to have turned a shade of red in a matter of minutes... and as Mai slowly brought the fabric over the boy's shoulders... she noticed the markings of a tattoo on his left arm.

A pair of small Chinese kanji symbols, etched in black ink, and it spelled out one word.

_Freedom._

It wasn't long before Smellerbee lifted her head and noticed Longshot hurrying back to the Oak Tree with the school nurse, an elderly-yet-fit woman with a long plait named Yugoda. Among the few tools of aid she carried in her bundle, the young girl spotted a water canteen, and sighed in relief.

"Set him up against the tree. Quickly," came the old woman's velvety voice and assertive orders as she sat herself under the Oak Tree shade, laying out her aid on the grass. Mai was quicker to respond this time and tossed the shirts aside to bring Jet's body into full rest against the tree's trunk, along with Smellerbee's assistance. The nurse placed his head back so he could breathe easier, in an attempt to diminish the flushing red of his cheeks. She took out a dry cloth and opened the canteen... immediately showering the boy's head and shirtless frame with its cold water.

The pale girl suddenly seemed more interested in looking at the painting material she had left behind in the distance, crossing her arms uncomfortably as she sat next to the boy. Longshot was the only one who caught her uneasy gaze.

Jet didn't open his eyes, but as Yugoda slowly peppered the water's coldness onto his skin with the cloth, the young man seemed to stir anew. One of the nurse's hands seemed to be bending... locating the temperature of the boy's head at the temple.

"The water will help him for now," she said calmly up to Longshot, who had been standing against the tree the entire time. "But his body temperature is astoundingly high. I cannot lower it on my own... it's too delicate."

"Will he be okay?" Smellerbee asked, her voice almost sounding like a little girl's. Yugoda turned to her and gave her a reassuring grin, placing her palm fully on Jet's forehead.

"He needs plenty of rest, and with the scorching days that we've been having... he'll need to stay out of the sun for at least a week."

"_A week?_" the young girl's voice suddenly returned to normal, exchanging worried looks with Longshot. "But... but _Street Fest _is this weekend!"

"And he has The Duke's camping trip next Saturday," Longshot added almost mutely.

"I don't believe this. Jet, you _idiot..._" Smellerbee punched the bark of the tree lightly at her frustration (making the nurse wince with fright) and her thick eyeliner immediately stared at the pale girl who sat with them.

It was a cold, uncomfortable glare, and Mai's skin seemed to jump as she saw that look with confusing eyes.

"Bee, it's okay," Longshot gathered his friend, comforting her with a hand on her red hard.. "We can still compete without him... we'll just have to adjust a few parts to the line-up."

The young girl with cropped hair said nothing, biting her lips in sadness and disappointment as she stared into the bark of the tree. Mai could not help but sigh, turning her eyes to Jet, who still seemed to stir in a half-conscious breathing state.

Yugoda spoke up again, sincerely and with intent: "Let's take him over to rest in the healing quarters for now. Is there a way we could contact his parents right now?"

This time, it was Smellerbee who winced, sadly glancing at the ground. Clearly, Yugoda did not hang out with the Oak Tree clan very much.

"Um... does a landlady count...?"

It took a moment for her to process the information with her sad, shifting blue eyes, but Yugoda nodded in understanding. "Yes, that will do. We'll send her a message through our delivery hawk."

She then picked up her things from the aid pile, and began to unfold a long, thin sheet of fabric in front of Mai, while Smellerbee and Longshot worked together to lift Jet up from the tree.

"Here," she said to the pale, worried girl with her arms still close to her body, "put this blanket over him so it can cover his head and shoulders." The woman handed her the soft cloth, and Mai looked at it, and then at Jet, whose weight was being supported by the effort of his two closest friends.

Something just didn't seem right, at that moment, for Mai. Her hands were shaking from an uncertain pressure as she held that blanket in his hands, staring over to young boy's semi-conscious, helpless face... and the cold eyes of a young girl with brownish-red hair, who only seemed to desire that this pale, useless girl fall off the face of the Earth.

_It wasn't like she cared about the boy, anyway._

"I'm sorry." Mai's voice trembled as she spoke, bringing the soft cloth of the blanket back into the Nurse's hands as she was picking the aid from the ground. "I... I can't... I have to go."

And before Yugoda's concerned face could ask if her everything was okay, she fled. She felt her small feet pace off into the edge of the woods, not turning her head back to hear what Smellerbee must have been muttering about her as they all entered the school building. She felt dizzy, forgetting just how far the painting easel had been placed in the distance, yet nevertheless running faster to her safety.

Her artwork. Her home... where paintbrushes could express everything that she couldn't say in words... feelings that had somehow dried up her body and abandoned her self worth for as long as she could remember. Blood seemed to rush along her arms, and a tight knot clenched larger and larger inside her stomach... that the girl almost doubled-over in pain.

It was always pain... but nothing would ever come out. Not a single tear, or cry, or the absolute longing for somebody to hold her.

Mai stared towards that fresh canvas on the easel, almost like it seemed to stare back.

This was her world. _Blank. Meaningless. Doubtful of any reason... or want... or desire. _How could a simple tattoo on a boy's arm suddenly make her clench up more with fear?

The girl panted in breath as she sat in front of her canvas, looking elsewhere, for anything that could possibly weigh in the heaviness she was feeling inside. And then suddenly, she turned her head towards the darkness... the endless trail that a certain boy had unexpectedly marked for her to take once on a ridiculous journey. Sensing the breeze and the noises of the woods calmly inviting her in, Mai knew what she had to do... and slowly, carefully, she picked herself up from the easel... and walked into the unknown.

Only this time, she did not bring her knives.

* * *

**A/N - Sorry, I love these characters too much, and I kinda have a soft spot for Mai. Hopefully by the end of this whole story... you will too!**

**And I just wanted to point out, I love dancing! I was trying to combine certain dances with the different cultures and here's what I concluded: Earthbending is hip-hop, breakdancing; Firebending is salsa, flamenco, capoeira; Waterbending is Western waltz and Eastern belly-dancing (depending on the Northern and Southern tribes, respectively); and Airbending is ballet, and Riverdance-inspired soft-tap. Cool, eh? If you have any suggestions, please tell me! --MM**


	16. On Ji

"Aang? It's your line: _But in my heart there sleeps a fear that this war will never end._"

Katara stared over at the young boy, her blue eyes glimmering in concern as he picked the pieces of grass below his sitting position. She could tell that his mind had been elsewhere since the moment they met under the unoccupied Oak Tree for that sunny Saturday rehearsal, and by that unusual frowning in his silver eyes, she knew something was wrong as he brought moved his bald head and responded with a nonchalant "I'm sorry."

"Is everything okay?" Katara kept the _OmaShu _script half open on her lap, her voice being as gentle as ever. "You're not usually this quiet."

Aang could barely breathe listening to that pleasant, beautiful voice near his ear, and he managed to give a slight reassuring smile to the girl.

"I'm okay," he said half-heartedly, keeping his focus on the ground, as if lying to the girl's eyes would devour his Avatar spirit completely. "I'm just... a little stressed about the lines."

She knew there must've been something else, as up until then the boy had always tried to find ways of cheering her up. And here she was, her world suddenly caving in to a pair of silver eyes that seemed to have better days, and Katara felt her shoulders tense. She had to help him out.

"Did you want to go over another scene, maybe?"

The girl's cerulean eyes glimmered as she suggested humbly, noting Aang's hands as they continued to pick the grass from the ground. The boy hadn't even touched the sea prunes she'd brought for their snack, and Katara wondered what could possibly be bothering him. She then remembered the boy's amazed reaction from the dance routine that Haru and On Ji had demonstrated, and even though they'd barely learned the first couple of moved... her eyes lit up.

"Hey I have an idea," the girl immediately got up with a smile, touching the boy's shoulder for encouragement to join her. Aang flinched and glanced at his shoulder as if it had just turned into gold, then turning his head to look at Katara. "We can go over the Earthbending moves that Haru taught us... I'm sure he'll be really impressed."

She slowly extended her hand to hopefully invite boy off the ground, and Aang could not help but look up at those eyes lovingly, noting how the hairloops seemed to dance already along the breeze. He smiled in a sigh, feeling that he could tell her anything... and that he couldn't leave that strange mood without an explanation to her.

"Okay," he said simply, accepting the girl's soft hand as politely as he could without blushing, and getting to his feet with a little airbending help that took Katara by surprise. She giggled in amusement, and the boy remembered why he adored her so much. "I was just thinking about it, actually."

"About what?"

"The dance," Aang replied as he slowly squatted his legs for a stretch to the sky.

Katara began to flex her arms out in small circles. "Oh, is that what's stressing you out?"

"Nah... I was..." the boy brought his eyes back to Katara's sighing, "I wasn't _really_ stressed out. I... I just couldn't stop thinking about On Ji."

He suddenly flinched, and his eyes widened, clearly noting by Katara's arching brow how those words had come out the wrong way. Aang's throat tightened but he refused to stay quiet. He had to redeem himself.

"I– I meant On Ji's _dance_!" Aang blushed, bringing his squat back into a regular standing position. "This is gonna sound weird, but I think I'd seen those moves before... in one of the other Air Temples."

"What are you talking about?"

"I remember those last few moves she did... the straight arms at her side, the leaping she did in the air..."

Aang tried his hardest to demonstrate in front of Katara, without looking so much like a fool. He could feel that his air-dancing skills were still a little rusty, but the boy didn't care; he had to get his point across.

"There's this one move she made... where she let one of her legs twirl around like a circle, and it was like the rest of her body just followed along."

The airbender braced himself and tried to demonstrate that same move to Katara, prying the nervousness out of his system as he brought one of his feet up for momentum. He could barely remember how to do the move perfectly, but he felt his mind spinning as much as his own body.

"Oh yeah, I remember that one..." Katara smiled, trying to hold back a blush. "It looked like she was holding herself up by the tip of her toes... it was thrilling, and _terrifying!_"

"Yeah..." Aang couldn't help but picture the lovely girl with hairloops doing the same dance movement, taking a moment before continuing to speak, "well it looked like a move I'd seen the girls from the Western Air Temple do during their celebration of summer solstice. We'd go there every year... and I remember them doing that move, right before they collected enough air to take off into the sky!"

"You're kidding," Katara lifted an brow of amazement to the boy, watching sloppily attempt to make that move himself, only to fall clumsily on his two feet. Momo skirmished over from one of the Oak Tree branches to watch his companion dance entertainingly, lifting his paws up with a curious look in his eye.

Aang brought himself back up to the ground and met Katara's wondering eyes. "I have a feeling that On Ji might be an airbender... but, I don't get it... why wouldn't she say anything?"

It took a few seconds, but Aang noticed Katara lowering her eyes uncomfortably, looking towards the ground in what seemed a face of sheer sadness and disappointment.

"Listen, Aang..." she began to say softly, "I think it's great that you're proud about your airbending... but you have to understand... This school lives and _breathes_ the Fire Nation culture. Sometimes it makes the other nations feel neglected... even ashamed... about their powers."

"But Katara, you're a waterbender, and you're_ definitely_ not ashamed of that." Aang exclaimed, remembering the ferocity in the girl's determination to win a simple water tennis match. "And what about Toph? She's the best earthbender in the _whole school_, and she isn't afraid of anyone..."

"Aang, it's not the same thing... bending is only _a part _of our cultures, and we're only able to do that outside of school. The rest of this school's culture is associated with the Fire Nation... which is something that my people -- and the Earth citizens, too – have been trying to change for a long time."

"But what about the airbenders?" Aang thought, with a strange sense of desperation in his voice. "I mean, if On Ji's an airbender... doesn't that there'd be others in the school, too?"

"I'm pretty sure that is the case, Aang, but..." Katara then blinked, looking elsewhere over to Momo as if trying to find the best words, without upsetting the boy too much. "...but the truth is, I don't think they _want _to acknowledge their culture."

"_What?" _The boy's eyes widened to the brink of popping out, trying to make sense of what she'd said. "But... _why?_"

"I have a feeling it's all thanks to Zhao, but I'm don't really know, Aang... I'm not an airbender," Katara looked at the boy helplessly, brushing one of her hairloops aside to see that painful frustration Aang was going through.

As the young boy's shoulders slumped in defeat, she then planted another hand on his shoulder for comfort, giving a hopeful smile as if telling him to act upon his instincts. Aang was struck by that gaze, almost as if he had read her mind, and the boy sighed from the truth.

"I know... I have to talk to On Ji... this doesn't make any sense."

Katara nodded. "And who know's? Maybe you two can help give the airbenders justice... this school needs to be represented by all the nations, and I'm gonna try and make that happen."

"Wait, so it's official? You're running for class president?" Aang's eyes seemed to reflect back into its original brilliance.

"Yep! I placed my candidacy last week to the school board with Mr. Pakku, and Coach Hama said she would sponsor me." Katara shrugged shyly, feeling very new to this pool, and as if this elections road was bound to be a long and bumpy one ahead. "But anyway... if you want to talk to On Ji... she's probably finishing up her dance rehearsal in the studios. You should go catch up with her!"

Aang beamed at the suggestion, knowing that Katara felt just as strongly about his airbending as he did. A part of him, however, could not help but feel sad.

"Um... but what about our rehearsal dat– er, meeting?"

Katara winced, giggling involuntarily at the boy's blushing face. "Oh, it's alright." Her eyes lingered for a moment as she tried to bring up another hopeful suggestion to his Aang. "We can meet again next Saturday... _oh wait_! No, it's Ms. Ursa's birthday party– I forgot... I'm sorry."

Her face flushed in shame, but Aang shook his head so as to think nothing of it. Part of him was beaming at the excuse to go to the Air Dodgeball game against the agile Northerners!

"But I _promise_ we'll continue with our Saturday rehearsals after that," Katara proclaimed, and Aang smiled eagerly, letting a little childish laugh escape him.

In a few moments, the two friends picked up their snack foods and _OmaShu _scripts from the ground, letting the shade of the oak tree give them a last bit of cool comfort before they would face the scortching sun rays once again.

"So... are you going to the Water Tennis court?" Aang asked as he put his bag over his shoulder.

"Not today, Coach Hama cancelled practice because of the sun." Katara quickly brought a hand over her eyes as she stepped out of the oak tree shade. "But I heard that a-- a friend of mine -- got really sick yesterday. I think I should go visit him."

"Who?" Aang asked her, but the girl did not respond quickly.

The boy studied her face curiously, how her eyebrows were furrowing over a decision she was coping with her mind. Katara stood there in the sun, and suddenly she seemed to glance back at Aang with a straight, more determined look in her features.

"Actually, no. Not yet – I... " Katara then looked towards the school entrance, with her hand still covering her eyes from the mid-day sunlight. "I should go find Zuko."

Aang's stomach tightened involuntarily, but he forced himself to soften with the mere understanding that they were just friends. He believed that, and he had to keep trusting it. In his mind, Katara meant well... befriending as many people as she could in order to be a great student class president, and for all that was bound to keep her busy, the young airbender couldn't feel more blessed to see her on Saturday afternoons.

At that, the boy took a deep breath and let his feet run to meet Katara out in the sun, and before she could realize what was coming... he went on his toes and planted a small kiss on her cheek.

"See you on Monday!" Aang's shouted as he quickly airbended a spherical scooter under his feet and rode himself happily towards the school's inner courtyard with Momo scampering behind him, making sure he would flee from her sight before his cheeks would turn bright red.

And Katara stayed there... her eyes wide open under her palm as she watched the young boy squander off... too shocked to realize that a soft, endearing grin was forming in her face.

* * *

"I have called you all here today to discuss the running of a particular student, and the circumstances behind her candidacy for the Student Class Presidential elections for next year."

Azula surveyed the small conference room, with the handful of teachers and students who felt like they could've used an extra hour of sleep on a Saturday. Mr. Jeong Jeong didn't even try to hide the fact that he was snoring in the very back, and Ty Lee was too busy caressing Hide's hand and playing with her braid to catch whatever else was going on.

The girl sneered at her audience, aware that if she weren't the royal princess of the Fire Nation, half of these people wouldn't have shown up at all. And they _dared _to call themselves school administrators...

"Uh... what exactly did you want to talk about?" A guy with sleek brown hair rubbed his cheek out of sleepiness as he sat next to the standing Azula. The girl just glared at him, keeping her professional pointer at her hands, but with a terrible urge to hit him with it.

"She is our _competition_, Chan," her growling voice seemed to awake Jeong Jeong out of his snoring bliss. "And most importantly... she is from the Water Tribes. This means that our campaigning for this year will need to be _twice_ as rigorous as the years before."

"Why? We always win every year, anyway," the boy sitting next to Chan muttered undery his breath, frustrated about losing some hours on his Saturday. He could've been fire-surfing with his friends.

"Because, Rion Jon..." Azula enunciated every word as best she could, "she is going to bring balance to our proud Fire Nation-founded school. Can you imagine such chaos? After almost a hundred years of having a respectful community of order and cultural pride, this election may break the traditions Praying Mantis-- Mr. Jeong Jeong, _you are snoring again._"

At that, the teacher grimaced himself back into a proper sitting position.

"And let me be very clear about this..." Azula's voice turned rather sinister and quiet at this point, "I am aware that my father, the great prince Ozai, has been gone missing for some time... but do _not _make the mistake of believing that his heart no longer lies in the strength of the Fire Nation. This may be just a school... but it carries the _future _generation of all four cultures, and I am counting on _all of you_ to keep its founding culture as powerful as it was before. Don't you agree, Vice Principal Zhao?"

The man sitting across from Azula seemed to linger in the shadows, leaning back with his head held on by one of his folded hands. His sideburns were as sharp as ever, and his frowning persona did not seem to change since the day that the new airbender boy had surprisingly shown up to the school.

"Completely and wholeheartedly, your Highness," came his rash, middle-aged voice. He looked over the entire conference room of heads and spoke in a simple, yet commanding tone to his colleagues. "The Fire Nation shall secure its place within this school, no matter how neutral our so-called Principal Roku decides to remain in it."

He nodded over to the princess from his side of the table, cuing her to continue her speech. As the girl began to speak with a new soft, determined grin on her face, the man could not help but notice how that feature reminded him so much of her mother.

"I was planning to give my sincerest gratitude to Mai, my publicity assistant, for designing those remarkable posters for the campaign... but she seems to have gone elsewhere for the afternoon," Azula stared at Ty Lee with a speculative eye, wondering if she knew anything of their friend's whereabouts. But the cheerleader just shrugged with a confused look back to the princess.

"In any case, these posters have been an astounding improvement to last year's campaign launch, but we will need to make much more action this year, if we wish to win this election. I have a feeling that this waterbender opponent will do all she can to set the rest of the school against us– Mr. Jeong Jeong, _WAKE UP!_"

And the man nearly fell off his seat at the sound, rubbing one of his eyes back open.

"What do you propose we do, Highness?" came the Vice Principal's voice of support.

Azula placed both of her hands to her back, bringing herself into a more serious stance as she spoke again to Zhao. "You have informed me, Vice Principal, that the Avatar has matriculated into Praying Mantis High for the past six weeks?"

"Indeed," he answered her directly, "And according to the school census, he is the seventh airbender currently residing here. I don't believe he is aware that there are others just yet."

"Excellent," Azula fought to keep her enthusiasm about these facts professional, "and so we can go according to plan. We all know how offbeat the airbenders' way of life is, according to our Fire Nation standards..."

A few of the students in the room, including Chan and Ty Lee, made disgusted looks in agreement.

"...Well, why not use that to our advantage?" the young woman paused for a second, making sure she had everyone's attention (including Mr. Jeong Jeong). "I know that this waterbender will do everything she can to get the Avatar to believe in her ideals of balance. If we can show that the Fire Nation is the greatest culture to abide by at this school... by perhaps, exploiting the airbenders' own culture... then the students will not have a choice but to praise the Fire Nation once again. I shall keep the student body running with an iron fist."

Mr. Jeong Jeong then raised his hand, making Azula flinch in surprise. She rolled her eyes slightly before cuing him to speak.

"What about Ms. Ursa, and this Uncle of yours?" came his obviously sleepy, raspy voice. "They're not the only Fire Nation citizens who believe in cultural balance..."

"Leave the family troubles to me, Mr. Jeong Jeong." Azula gave a slight hint of a sigh, as if knowing this topic would be brought up sooner or later, "I assure you, they will not stand in our way to victory."

Mr. Jeong Jeong just snorted back at the girl, speculatively, wondering what was brewing in that insane little mind of hers. The only reason he'd chosen to take part in this brigade was because Avatar Roku felt he needed to do an extracurricular activity that did not involve intense firebending or over-dramatic quoting of Shakespeare. And much to his dismay, open mic poetry was only available to students.

Azula then proceeded to give some plans out for the upcoming weeks, how this small group of faithful Fire Nation citizens would exploit and humiliate the local airbending community in the most sincerest ways possible. Since Mai was not present, Azula ordered Ty Lee to be her publicity assistant that afternoon, taking notes on anything and everything the girl said. By the time the meeting was over, the usually-cheerful girl was no longer smiling, due to her aching knuckles and wrist from the writing.

The Fire Nation princess adjourned the class presidency meeting, and the small group of teachers and students took the liberty of heading out the door without question. Chan stayed behind just for a moment to plant a small kiss on the girl's temple, telling her she did an awesome job up there... but it did little to ease Azula's inner stress.

This new election year clearly meant a lot to her, and not even her boyfriend could see that as much as she did. How could he, since he was too busy playing some ridiculous warrior in a school play?

"I've never been much of a fan to these airbenders," the Vice Principal commented as he got up himself to escort the princess out of the conference room. "I think this is a wise decision you are making, showing them just where they belong in our society."

"Thank you, Zhao," the girl spoke a bit more at ease, knowing the man well enough to address him by name, "now if only the rest of my poor excuse of a family would see the way things I did... and the ways my father did as well."

"I'm sorry to hear there is still no sign of the Prince Ozai... how long has it been, now?"

"Almost six years..." the girl frowned, biting her lip in reluctance to something else that was haunting her mind. "Nobody has seen him since the meeting with Fire Lord Azulon."

"It's a shame to see how much that man has worked to restore the honor of our Nation, only to have his own family disagree with his philosophy. Here we have the greatest civilization that is only bound to evolve into greater things... but only a few of us seem to appreciate it that way."

"Mark my word, Zhao. My Uncle may be the next in line to the Fire Nation throne, but I will maintain the Fire Nation's honor within my own generation, and... perhaps even lead the greatest military this world has ever seen. Lu Ten's laughable naivete will get the better of him... and there won't be any room to argue that what I am creating is wrong for the survival of our honorable culture."

The vice principal nodded in much admiration, holding the school door open for the most respectable member of the royal family. Outside, there were two men and a beautifully painted redwood palanquin waiting for her to be escorted home.

"Keeping my brother out of trouble, as usual?" The girl asked Zhao as she took one of the carriers' hands to be lifted onto the palanquin.

"Hardly." The Vice Principal remained in the shade of the school's ornate doorway. "Prince Zuko seems to be keeping _himself_ out of trouble nowadays, Highness."

Azula made a gruff noise of disgust, letting her form silhouette beneath the thin curtains of the palanquin as she spoke to the Vice Principal one last time.

"I have no doubt that Zuzu and this waterbender girl are getting closer... but perhaps that will be an advantage for me. Keep your eyes out for that Principal of ours; goodness knows he is busy enough being the Avatar, traveling all the time... and I intend to not make him stress over what we have planned for our election campaign."

"Anything you say, your Highness," the man gave a formal bow from his waist for Princess Azula, keeping a fist over his heart with sheer respect. "Give my regards to Princess Ursa; I know her birthday is coming up."

And the girl made sure her sinister smile remained hidden within the palanquin.

It was nearly impossible to not see how infatuated Zhao was over her mother, ever since the Fire Prince Ozai... disappeared... six years ago, but the girl did not sigh in sympathy. Instead, Azula felt rather delighted, knowing she could hold the Vice Principal's heart on a string with everything she demanded of him. And with the Vice Principal's heart at hand, Azula had absolutely nothing to worry about... running the Praying Mantis school as she saw it fit.

Now all she needed to do was to get rid of that ridiculous little boy... the Avatar-in-Training... and those ideals that he would probably be fighting for.

* * *

_What the hell am I doing here?_

Every now and then, it was like Mai's feet told her to stop walking and ponder this same question in her head, so much that it was giving her an astounding headache. Ever since she had returned from the woods yesterday, she could feel the lies pouring in like sap along her pale skin, as if she couldn't trust her self to tell a simple truth in front of her parents.

_Mai, your shoes... those were a gift from the Fire Nation capital. Why are they so dirty?_

_I slipped as I was walking home. _The pale girl had pursed her lips, refusing to explain herself even further, not even mentioning the inclusion of the woods.

_There are pieces of leaves in your hair. _Her mother could not resist to go through her delicate daughter's hair with her callous fingertips. _It's all windswept..._

_I know. _And then came her usual raspy voice of sarcasm. _It's the newest hair trend that the Fire Nation princess is trying to pull on me. Don't worry, I don't think it'll last._

And her mother had said nothing else, looking over at her husband to see if he had anything else to question for their daughter. Not even the question of why she had stayed at school past dinnertime seemed to cross their minds. The dining room was silent that night as the parents watched their dark, mysterious daughter eat her dinner plainly, and Mai could hear every chew she made in her noodles.

After what seemed ages, the girl finally finished her noodles, set the chopsticks artistically balancing on the bowl and pushed it aside. She looked up at her mother, her copper eyes holding in a significant amount of intensity to them.

_Mom, I need to go to Ba Sing Se tomorrow. _It surprised the girl herself that she said this, and her eyes faintly rose before blinking again into their bored state. She continued her lie. _There's a... a dance festival that I need to attend._

Her mother blinked, never hearing her daughter hesitate before. _What for, dear? _

She had been holding Tom-Tom at the time, and Mai could not bear to even look at that smiling boy when she spoke. Her skin felt more sallow. _I... I need to go for a Cultural Enrichment Project, for school._

Why was this word '_need_' always popping up in her answers all of a sudden? She didn't 'need' to go anywhere. She didn't 'need' to do any of this. Mai clenched one of her hands in confusion, hoping that her parents would just let her go without any more prying.

Her father spoke this time, leaning in a little toward the table to catch his daughter's voice a bit more accurately. _Could you tell us what this project is about?_

Mai's head involuntarily tilted towards the floor, avoiding her father's gaze by her sleek bangs that hid her eyes. Her other hand clenched then, and she could feel her own pulse by the tightness of her fists. Tiny trickles of sweat formed at the back of her scalp, and suddenly... a certain face had appeared in her eyes...

...the tanned face of a boy, with wispy hair sodden from so much sweat under the sun...

And Mai broke the silence with more words. More talk.

_It's for a mural I'm painting for the school dance studio, which is supposed to portray the cultural movements of the Earth Kingdom. The dance festival will help me understand the technicality and characteristics of their dance, I guess, and the mural can turn out better._

She said this calmly, crossing her arms nonchalantly to her father, but on the inside she could feel her muscles trembling from that lie.

Her parents looked at each other once again, and Mai had nothing else to do except note the drooling of Tom-Tom's laugh as he was under her mother's warmth.

_Alright. _

Mai couldn't even remember which of her parents said that, because she got up from the table immediately afterwards, straight to the darkness of her room, without saying another word. It was like clockwork, except now... her body couldn't stop shivering from those lies.

And so the question came again. _What the hell am I doing here?_

The pale girl's body shifted from left to right, sitting on the train towards the grand city of Ba Sing Se, and then she could feel every walk of her feet come with a tremble of hesitation as that question continued to play itself in her mind.

But all around her – in the lower ring of the city – she heard music. Intense, erratic sounds of drums and horns, and old guitars played by rickety old fingers in the streets. And yet, it was lively... with people younger even than her running past her as she kept herself in her mind... not even caring if they bumped into her. Children danced along the music of the drums, copying the movements of those older, more experienced competitors as they challenged each other in the narrow alleyways.

Mai dodged the laughter she heard around her, as if her ears were unfamiliar with that strange noise that came with the people. She dodged the occasional cabbage that was thrown to the loser of an individual dance-off, but expertly caught the occasional mandarin orange tossed to the winner that would pass her by. People's shoulders bounced with the rhythm in the lower labyrinth of quarters in Ba Sing Se... their smiles of cheer and sweat of enthusiasm spreading contagiously throughout every which alleyway the girl seemed to walk through in that maze.

This was _Street Fest_.

And the girl did not bring her knives for it, either. Not even her sketchbook. She had to be there just as herself, for some reason. Her mind was like an empty glass, getting poured over by the mysterious, elaborate sounds of instruments and dance movements, and things she had only seen strangely by the self-expression of one particular boy and his friends.

She had no idea what she was looking for, exactly. Mai was there alone, among the crowds and crowds of people eager to find the next round of dance competitions within the streets. Her shoes were patched with the stickiness of rotting fruit from the ground, and she no longer knew if the sweat she felt on her neck was legitimately hers... but still... the girl kept wandering. Her eyes kept looking, observing the colors and smiles and movements that came with those unfamiliar streets on that special Saturday afternoon.

Of course... _he _wouldn't be there, and she knew that his friends would probably care less if they saw her... but she didn't mind.

Her heart -- was it her heart? – almost demanded it. She _needed _to be here. She had to know what it was that these kids from under that oak tree were working for, and know what she put that particular boy through when realizing he could not attend.

But most of all... the girl longed to know how it would feel to be a part of something extraordinary.

Much like her unexpected encounter with the Earth Kingdom woods, Mai's ears took in those sounds of the lower ring of Ba Sing Se, and she closed her eyes... letting her mind wander into countless pages of imagination.

* * *

Aang found her in the vast dance studio, among the dozens of faces that were holding themselves steady in front of the mirrored wall, while Suki counted a certain beat of 'one-and-two-and-three' in the far corner. Some of them had their traditional Kyoshi makeup... since Aang knew that Avatar Kyoshi was one of the first big fans of interpretive dance... and the young boy smiled, noticing that On Ji was not among them.

She was there in her regular skin color, her bangs flopping from side to side with every extensive movement she made with the other girls in the studio. Her attire was simple: a black leotard, black leggings with a thin red skirt wrapped around her waist to portray her noble Fire Nation colors... but Aang saw something more... her feet. How they lingered from the tips of her toes with every jump or glide that came with that practice routine.

And he saw from the one glance of her shy face how much she tried to hide it from the rest of the world. He just couldn't understand why.

"Alright, girls, we'll pick this up again tomorrow." Suki then said. "Thanks for showing a lot of passion today!"

And suddenly, Aang's comfortable stance in the corner of the doorway no longer seemed invisible, as the girls quickly started packing up their things and leaving through that entrance with random chatter and giggles. The young airbender just stuck flatly against the wall, letting all the girls pass as if he were camouflaged into the cement pattern.

He tried to locate On Ji among the many girls who were leaving the studio, but there was no such luck. So he stayed there on the wall, waiting for all the girls to finally pass and let their giggling voices echo into the hallways. The last one to leave was Suki, and she seemed so preoccupied with her equipment and her bags, she did not even notice the silver eyes that passed her by.

When the voices of girls were now all the way in the distance, the boy took another deep breath peeked into the dance studio again, to see if he had missed On Ji leaving among the crowd.

Strangely, there she was... still... on the studio's marvelously smooth wooden floor, stretching one of her legs like a warm-up. Aang raised an eyebrow, noticing that it was just her in the studio now, and nobody else. Her head was lowered as if wanting to melt into that stretching position, her eyes being hidden by her brown bangs that could not be tamed by a pony tail.

Seeing her alone like that, and her form being reflected by the dance studio's mirror, somehow made her look different to Aang. He couldn't pinpoint what it was, exactly, but it was something about the graceful way she stretched, and the way she held herself so confidently in those dance clothes that made her look... surreal.

Swiftly, she sat up from that stretching position and Aang flinched, not expecting at all, but was careful to not make a sound. He wanted to talk to her so badly... especially now after seeing her airbending quality show itself for the second time... but she was busy. He could sense that she was about to do some sort of routine by herself then, watching her stretch her calves as she stood up from the floor once again.

On Ji moved over to turn on a small contraption at the far wall of the studio, which looked like a metallic box with many levers and pullies... something that clearly must've been created from the mind of Mr. Mechanist. Aang heard the metallic box then... with its tubes suddenly being worked as if by an invisible musician. It was a mechanical drum!

Aang gasped from the corner, realizing how such a simple invention was made to be the companion to this girl in her dance practice, as if escorting her into a completely different world with such intense sound and rhythm. On Ji started to walk alongside that mechanical drum's rhythm, bringing herself back into the center of the studio.

And she danced.

The boy could not believe what he was watching. It started out as a casual walk, and then suddenly it was like On Ji _became _a dance routine right before his eyes. Like her body were experimenting with new types of interpretive movements that involved turns and shuffles and elaborate waving of her arms. He had trouble making out her face during the dance, and he wondered what it was exactly that she was feeling with every movement.

Was this planned? Was she doing this out of the spur of the moment?

And then she began to leap, turning herself around the room with intricate jumps that played with the air surrounding her. Aang watched her encounter the open room as if she were as light as a feather, unafraid to fall to the ground. She had the exploratory mind of an airbender, one who did not think twice about gravity, but rather trusted the air to keep her balanced and free.

Aang _needed _to talk to her. He had so much to ask her, question her about why she was being so secretive about this inner gift she possessed.. As he watched her hands move over her head and then fall sharply at her side... the boy was ready to run up to her and finally declare that he had seen the whole thing.

But then, she aimed towards the sky..

On Ji twirled herself up towards the very high ceiling of the dance studio, her arms like choppers and spinning her entire body like a work of art. But it was weak, Aang noticed, and the girl did not go past 10 feet before landing slowly back to the dance floor on her legs, exhausted. The girl's body then reminded Aang of a ship that had suddenly lost all the wind in its sails, and just stayed there in the middle of a great wooden floor of an ocean.

And he finally saw her dark brown eyes, as her arms fell onto her legs hopelessly on the floor. It wasn't long before the girl's face scrunched up tightly... with a few tears streaming out into existence, along with monetary sobs that ultimately took the young airbender by surprise.

Aang's eyes rose, no longer thinking about the questions, nor remembering the reason why he had been standing in the doorway the entire time.

That was when he decided to walk in.

* * *

**A/N - I hope you guys liked this. Somehow it didn't feel like there was much goin on, but I had to talk about certain things anyway. If you have any suggestions, please tell me. I'm always looking into improving my writing style. Oh! Just for those who're curious, On Ji's dance scene was inspired loosely from Vanessa Carlton's music video for _White Houses._ Keep on reading! Next up, Ursa's birthday party... -MM**


	17. Friendship

"My mother was born in the Western Air Temple."

By the time she started speaking to him, walking slowly along the outside corridors of the school, On Ji's tears had dried up onto her flushed cheeks. Her voice still quivered, perhaps adjusting to the shock from seeing that boy appear in her most personal space, but as the girl looked back at it, she was glad that he _did _show up after all. It showed how truly strong he was about their culture... and On Ji couldn't help but smile, finally speaking to him so openly.

"She wanted to become a dancer and devote her life to the Temple. But my father... he was the son of a Fire Nation diplomat to the Western Air Temple... when he turned fourteen, my grandfather invited him to come along."

"That's how they met, wasn't it?" Aang felt that spark of romance coming within On Ji's story, and the girl made an involuntary giggle in response.

"Most of the girls loved him, since they were not used to meeting boys outside of their own Nation," On Ji explained this simply, while Aang nodded in understanding. "My dad said they liked his hair... and he started showing off his firebending skills to them. He liked the attention, I guess, but I think he mostly did it to try and impress my mom... and it worked."

On Ji blushed, noticing how Aang's bashful face seemed to concur at that idea. Attention always seemed to grab Aang by the ankles no matter what the situation entailed.

"For years, my dad returned to the Temple during his summer break just to be with her." On Ji paused for a second, feeling that an upcoming turning point in her story was still very raw to her. "When she turned sixteen, my mom knew that she had to make a choice... and decided to give up her life at the Temple in order to stay close to my dad. They married soon after that in the Fire Nation. That's where I was born."

"Wow, so your whole life's been in the Fire Nation... and you still learned airbending?" Aang's eyes beamed at the thought, smiling at his fellow classmate. "Your mom must've been a great teacher."

"Thanks," On Ji looked elsewhere, embarrassingly, "but that's not exactly what happened."

His eyebrows rose in curiosity and questioning, and On Ji playfully made a tiny spinning discus of air with two fingers, tossing it towards Aang's eyes to make him blink and yelp. Her laugh was genuine - like a childish giggle – and the boy was pleased to see girl feel somewhat better.

"When I was born, I was as light as a feather--"

"The first sign!" Aang exclaimed with a smile, immediately mimicking On Ji's mini discus by throwing another one her way. The girl immediately moved her head to dodge it with a giggle.

"Yeah, and my mom was so excited for me, too." On Ji took in a deep breath, brushing away some of her disheveled hair from the mini discus. "She felt that it was my birthright to learn airbending, so when I turned four, she took me to become a ward in the Western Air Temple."

"At least you got to know your family a little bit before you left," Aang said, leaping over the corridor's rail with an artistic landing on his toes to see On Ji more face to face. "I can't even remember what my parents looked like. I _do_ remember sounds... like my mom's voice when she sang me to sleep."

On Ji looked over the rail, seeing Aang trying to cheer a shy little girl like her up with his natural playfulness. The boy studied her sad expression, wondering what the young girl was thinking about as she gazed down at him. It was strange, bringing up his own parents like that... realizing it had been such a long time since he even thought about them.

The girl then jumped onto the cement top of the corridor rail, swinging her legs over to dangle as Aang still stood below.

"So... how is it that you came to Praying Mantis?" He was wondering about that since the beginning, actually, and Aang wanted to ask her why she was so nervous to reveal this gift of airbending to the rest of the school... but the boy knew he had to take it one step at a time..

On Ji just made a small, shy little grin at the boy below her, and took another deep breath.

"It's hard to explain... like part of me was trying to be a devoted airbender, while my other part was supposed to be a loyal Fire Nation citizen, like my dad. I tried to fit in – I was one of the best air dancers of my age, actually – but I also missed my parents. It wasn't fair... how I knew them so much and got letters from them regularly... while the other girls didn't even _know_ their own parents yet."

Aang's shoulders hung limply, remembering how utterly different it all felt after Avatar Roku told him the news of his Apprenticeship. Not one kid in the Southern Air Temple seemed to look at him the same way, after that.

The boy's mind was fighting the urge to mention his own secret... that he was the Avatar-in-Training... but he remembered the bigger picture.

"So... is that why you left? Because you couldn't fit in?"

"Yeah, last summer," On Ji said in a somewhat defeated, yet matter-of-fact way. "Avatar Roku heard about me being an Airbender of the Fire Nation, and he told my parents that instead of matriculating me into a regular Fire Nation school... I should try going to a school with kids from _every_ nation."

"Ah, Praying Mantis High. But...were you excited about it?" Aang didn't see that gleeful smile in On Ji when she mentioned the school's name.

"At first, I was..." On Ji then twirled her fingers around, forming a series of tiny discuses balanced on her fingers, like mini plates. "...but when I showed up with my airbender uniform, Vice Principal Zhao told me I should wear Fire Nation colors from then on, in order to blend in."

"That's exactly what he did to me!" Aang exclaimed in sudden frustration, surprising On Ji out of her discus balancing, and they faded back into thin air. "Well... actually all he did was give me this funny look at my clothing colors and just let me go, but he made me wear this stupid red bandana over my head... telling me I couldn't show my tattoos in school."

On Ji sighed down to her friend.

"I'm sorry... I know those tattoos mean a lot to airbending masters." She then moved a hand to uncover part of the bandana that was hiding the boy's iconic tattoo, but Aang instantly covered it back on his head, scared that Zhao might show up from any corner. The girl smiled amusingly, but then spoke again. "He scared me into not showing my airbending skills at all, saying that the kids here didn't really appreciate our culture."

"But that's _ridiculous..._" Aang thought it over, looking out into the school courtyard. "That's not what Praying Mantis is about. It's supposed to be _diverse--_"

"You can't blame other people for how they feel," On Ji replied, in a somewhat tired way. "I _was_ proud of being an airbender, on the inside, but kids would stare at me... during my mid-day meditations... how I was reluctant to kill insects... they looked at the things I ate... I felt like they were making fun of me. Don't you feel that way, too?"

Aang frowned, not from disagreement, but from a simple plea to let those past few weeks at the school just fall out existence, wishing that he could've started out differently. The boy didn't say anything... because he knew that deep down, On Ji was right. Even though he believed it was wrong, he couldn't blame kids for they saw airbenders... _vegetarians, communing with the spirit world, not being affected by gravity. _How could he forcefully change people's thoughts?

On Ji spoke then, after a short pause. "Well, at least for me... my feelings about the school changed when I met Hide..."

"The guy from the play?" Aang remembered that name well, and stuck out his tongue in disgust.

"Yeah," On Ji mentioned with a hint of shame. "Back then, he was a really nice guy. I remember showing some of my traditional air moves after school for him... he was always so fascinated by it."

"_Hide_ liked airbending?" the boy couldn't believe it, imagining that rough-ridden, easily-distracted boy from the back of the theater. "I definitely wouldn't see that coming."

On Ji gulped, pushing herself to say more truthful thoughts to her trustworthy friend. The sadness in her eyes didn't seem to leave her, but gradually, Aang could note a distinctive feeling of hatred behind them.

"I don't think he was _interested_, really... more like he wanted to find excuses to tease me."

Aang's eyes blinked, furrowing his eyebrows so much that the tip of his blue arrow peeked out from under his bandana..

"Every time I told him something about my life in the Temple, I remember him smiling, nodding his head... like he was _pretending _to listen to me. I'll never forget that odd laugh he gave me when he took me out to dinner, and I told him I was a vegetarian..."

"On Ji..." the boy was leaning against the rail, looking up at the girl as her eyes stared out to the courtyard. He wasn't sure why he said her name, then. Perhaps because he knew she was struggling to continue with her story, seeing her eyes almost burrow with disappointment.

The girl sighed and made herself jump off the rail, landing harshly onto the ground next to where Aang was standing, keeping her focus to the outside courtyard. Her pretty brown eyes were now turning from sadness into something more rigid... upsetting...

"But in spite of all of that, he was really nice to me, Aang. I liked him so much. We were together for most of last year... but he _knew _about my culture. He knew _everything_ about my beliefs, and how I thought about... _serious_ relationships... and... and one day, he..."

Aang noticed the trembling look in her eyes, how she was trying so hard to keep her gaze on him, but her voice trailed off into emptiness. Suddenly, this story was beginning to take a turn for the worse.

Yes, the boy was also very aware of the airbenders' beliefs about love. It was what Gyatso had said to him, if he ever chose to leave the confinements of the Southern Air Temple when he became of age.

_Gyatso cherished the airbenders' ideals of love, how they were all supposed to love the people around them equally... spiritually... without any sense of pride. It was something that Aang wondered about, now and then, if _this _was what he always felt when he saw Katara - because for some reason, he believed there was something else there. _

_Something that Gyatso had also warned him about._

"_Desire, Aang, is a natural human condition that we Airbenders learn to balance within our devotion to the spirit world. We see other relationships as a gift, and it is not sinful to feel a genuine _romantic _love for someone in your life – but you should never let that desire... that certain want... cloud your other beliefs. Learn to love unconditionally, first... and if you decide to love _romantically_... learn to face a responsibility beyond what is already expected of you." _

Aang _knew_ that his life's devotion was primarily to the sky... to the spirits that he could not see. As an airbender, he couldn't hold himself dependable on worldly possessions or human attachment... and that was _exactly_ the kind of battle he saw in On Ji's eyes as he saw her slowly break down into new tears. The boy saw her damaged self unfold against the cement wall, and Aang could see how the girl's spirit had somehow been threatened.

"On Ji,... what did he do to you?"

And the girl sniffled, looking away from Aang to avoid that inner, almost foolish embarrassment she was feeling. Her sniffling then became rougher, tighter as she tried to keep herself from sobbing uncontrollably in front of the boy, and she held a hand over her mouth... whether it was from sickness or from shame, Aang could not tell. The boy watched her lean against the rail for support, and he could not help but shift his eyes to study her as those sobs kept coming.

"I... told him I wasn't ready to be that– that _close_ to him– " On Ji said in bits and pieces through the sobs that came from her throat. Tears began to stream down her delicate face. "That I was still trying to understand my beliefs, that _this wasn't right... _I didn't want to _do it._ It... it was _not pure..._"

The girl's hand moved slightly away from her mouth to breathe, and Aang almost felt the same trembling that came from her fingers. It frightened him, and his own eyes began to shimmer from her words, but he refused to interrupt. He waited patiently, empathetically, wrapping his arms around a young girl he had barely known up until a few minutes ago. Her voice eventually picked up again, shaking.

"I told him that– that I cared about him... a lot... but I just... I _couldn't..._"

On Ji let her bangs hover over her tearful eyes, covering her face with both of her trembling hands, accepting Aang's warm arms as they blanketed her shoulders. The boy did not need further explanation to know how much this girl must have been hurt... spiritually... _terribly._

She sniffled, looking down at the ground as if defeated, but feeling the warmth of her friend's arms give her a vast amount of comfort. Surprisingly, she looked over at Aang after a few moments, giving a faint-hearted grin. It was like she was forcing herself to get back into the present.

"After that day... he didn't say anything..." her voice became soft again, "but then I caught him kissing Ty Lee, and I knew it was over. He wasn't going to wait for me."

"On Ji, I..." the boy was lost for words, but he closed his eyes and brought his head to rest comfortingly on his fellow airbender companion. "I'm so sorry. That guy's a real _jerk_."

Aang bit his lip with rage.

Even if he _was _the future Avatar... even if he _was _supposed to love all people equally... the boy would've easily given up his destiny right there, if it meant that he could air-punch a certain guy in the face. Aang no longer found it hard to imagine Katara throwing a tidal wave at Azula, not after realizing what that girl had done to her friend, Yue... and those thoughts killed him.

_How could someone hurt an innocent girl so badly, without feeling any remorse to it?_

But strangely, Aang heard the girl make a small laugh within her sniffles, and she then spoke with a bit more ease. It was like everything she had just said was far behind her.

"The worst part is, he made he feel so ashamed about my culture_._" She said this to the boy's eyeswith such intensity. "Haru practically _begged_ me to use air dancing movements for the play... and I... well I've been keeping myself busy to not show my airbending, at least in public. I don't know why, but it's like Hide still has this sort of _power _over me."

"He doesn't deserve you, On Ji." Aang proclaimed, lifting his head from her shoulder to look at her straight in the eye. "You're much better than that. You _are _an airbender, and you should feel proud... telling him off the way you did."

The girl wiped the tears that streamed down the sides of her nose, and she looked at Aang with admiration, giving herself the strength to the smile again wholeheartedly.

"That's why I was so happy, when I saw you sitting in Vice Principal Zhao's office... with your blue tattoo on your head."

"You remember that?" Aang widened his eyes, immediately recalling the first time he'd seen On Ji blush. Suddenly, the fact that he was still holding her steady seemed to a little bit awkward, and his eyes just shifted elsewhere.

"Yeah..." On Ji smiled weakly, letting her sobs faint slowly away. "I felt proud about my heritage again... knowing how in spite of all the Fire Nation propaganda, another airbender was coming in to Praying Mantis."

The boy gazed at her again, this time with a smile, enveloping the idea that he'd meant so much to her. It was certainly a feeling he would someday have to acknowledge tenfold when he would take Roku's place as the Avatar.

Slowly, the awkwardness seemed to fade out into the sunny courtyard in front of them, and Aang proposed a new question for her. "Listen, do you think there are other airbenders in this school we don't know about?"

On Ji blinked out of her admirable gaze, and took a moment to ponder that question.

"I don't know them, personally, but Zhao's always muttering complaints about the airbenders here." The girl brought herself back into a straight stance, no longer needing the support of the wall, but still welcoming Aang's comforting arms. "We could talk to Mr. Mechanist... I know that he's _fascinated_ about airbending. I interviewed him for the school newspaper, and he's been trying to design authentic air gliders for a while now..."

"Gliders? Really?" Aang was entertained about the idea... seeing non-airbenders travel the sky.

"Yeah," On Ji answered sweetly, letting Aang's arms casually leave her as she felt much better. "I even requested that he make me one, so I can learn how to glide."

"Whoa whoa _whoa--_ wait a second." The young boy's eyes narrowed, his head moving back to study the girl's entire face. "You say you're an airbender, but you don't know how to GLIDE? _On Ji..._?"

Her round eyes widened in dismay, seeing the boy slam a palm to his forehead in disappointment. Somehow she knew that Aang was teasing, and the girl couldn't hold another blush in.

"It's not that I don't know how to glide; I just... didn't pursue it passionately!" On Ji confessed, giving her tranquil voice a bit more of a strong-willed edge. "Dancing was always my first love at the Temple, and I ... I'm sure it wouldn't take _that long _to master a silly glider."

"Oh..._oh..._" Aang laughed, but teasingly, looking at On Ji's wry little smile as her torn spirit seemed to suddenly rise from its ashes. "Well, it just so happens..."

In a flash, without even giving the girl time to gasp or blink twice, the young airbender ran feverishly across the courtyard to one of the nearby trees... ran up to one the branches... ran back down, and practically skidded along the grass back towards On Ji, holding his authentic glider staff in one hand.

"...that I have a _genuine_ Southern Air Temple clam-shell glider right here, ready to take you up on those smug words."

She still managed to breathe easily after that rush of a surprise, and On Ji looked at Aang inquisitively, taking hold of the staff with one of her own hands and examining it with an occasional twirl. Her sarcastic looks were priceless to Aang, seeing her swish the open air and twirl the staff as if she were rating its quality. Then, in one quick gesture, the girl twirled the staff and promptly let it mark the ground with her grip, and she stood proudly in front of Aang like a determined leader.

And the boy fought _really hard_ not to laugh, as he noticed one little mistake. "Um, On Ji... you're supposed to hold it the _other_ way? This side _up._"

It didn't take long for On Ji's wry stance to suddenly melt away, as she took one look at the glider and at Aang's meticulous silver eyes. Her shoulders slumped, and her eyes shifted to the staff as she felt the pressure of it all envelope her body.

Nervously, she moved a bit of her loose hair behind her ears, and corrected her mistake.

"Oh, right. I knew that..."

Aang chuckled involuntarily, already counting down the seconds before On Ji would willingly admit to the obvious.

The boy's heart was still leaping from the joy of finding another airbender at Praying Mantis High, and as the two friends headed towards the rooftops to try out the glider, Aang could not help but smile... seeing that gracefully-driven girl beside him as nothing less than a gift.

* * *

"Okay, so we still need three tarps for the little ones, a new first aid kit... ten extra watch candles... and insect repellant. _Lots and lots of insect repellant._"

Sokka narrowed his blue eyes as he went down the huge scroll in his hand, marking off the things on the list, trying to walk down the market street without bumping so often into Suki.

"Don't you think you're going a little overboard with the repellant thing?" Toph called out from a few feet behind, with Teo rolling his wheelchair with a huge carrying basket attached at the back of it. "I mean... if this is because _your boomerang_ hit that lizard wasps' nest on our last camping trip, then I completely understand. But they're just bugs!"

Suki giggled as she noticed Sokka turning red in the face, frowning to look back at Toph. "_They chased me over a cliff!"_

"You mean that little bunny hill down to the creek?" Toph smirked under her breath. "Wow. How traumatizing."

"I'm not taking any chances this time..." the young water tribesman turned his head back to the list. _"_If we'regoing to the Kalmian swamps next weekend with the boy scouts, we have to be ready for a bajillion mosquito nests... we're _doubling _our insect repellant_._"

"Suit yourself," Teo laughed in response, rolling his chair while he looked at the variation of artisans' work that passed them by. He noticed how Toph's eyes would linger foolishly whenever she heard someone shout out a sale on glass-blown jewelry... as much as she pretended to hide her interest with an occasional punch on the boy's wheelchair.

"Ugh, jewelry's for spoiled princesses...what a waste of money," the girl muttered as they continued to walk, but Teo could definitely see through that annoyed little glance of hers.

He softly grabbed a hold of Toph's hand, taking the girl's blindness by surprise (but with a smile) and said "My dad really needs a paperweight for his study, and I kinda like the glass ones they have over there. Wanna come check it out?"

The young girl, with all of her rough-ridden stamina, did not hesitate to blush right then. "Sure," she smiled, and she let her boyfriend lead the way.

"We'll catch up with you guys!" Teo shouted over to Sokka and Suki. "I'll try and find some good carving knives, too."

"Great, thanks Teo," Sokka replied over his shoulder, as the young couple left for the glass jewelry commodities. As he continued to walk alongside Suki, the young Kyoshi dancer casually slipped her hand under the boy's arm to hold. Sokka smiled, keeping her close and comfortable as they walked down the market place together.

"They're so cute together, aren't they?" Suki said, keeping an eye out for a sale on insect repellant as she caressed the boy's arm.

Unfortunately, right as he was about to respond with a 'yeah, they're adorable,' he looked up from his list and noticed _another _pair of familiar people walking into another alleyway of the market, their voices disappearing into the street. Sokka's eyes widened dangerously, turning his head to Suki with his skin ultimately turning a shade lighter.

"_Please _tell me you didn't mean Katara... and– and _Hotman!_"

Suki blinked through her Kyoshi makeup, looking around to see what caused him that misunderstanding. "No! No... I was talking about Teo and– and... wait a second. Why does that matter to you?" Her eyes narrowed skeptically over to her boyfriend as they stopped walking.

"_Because..._" Sokka stared at the girl as her disappointed stance seemed to overwhelm him out of words. "Because... she's my sister, and... I dunno. I just don't_ trust_ that guy."

"Can't you just leave them alone, and stop obsessing over the idea that they're together?" Suki placed her free hand onto her hips, pursing her lips upsettingly. "He's actually a nice guy, and Katara told me _herself_... they're friends."

"Hold on... you two talk about _Hotman _together?" Sokka's eyes were almost on the verge of popping veins, and Suki grunted in annoyance.

"Sokka, that's not the point!" the girl shifted her eyes, caressing her boyfriend's tense arm to keep him from going off like a bomb. "She's probably helping him shop for Ms. Ursa's birthday party next weekend. That's all"

As much as he wanted to chase that Fire Nation troublemaker down the alleyway and give him a piece of his mind, Sokka sighed..

"Give her a break, Sokka. I think she really needs a good friend right now, and you don't even know it." Suki placed her other arm around her stubborn boyfriend's frame, resting her head on his shoulder to give him comfort.

The young tribesman moved his eyes back to his lovely girlfriend's gaze, and Suki did not hesitate to plant him a small kiss on the lips. That rush of warmth that spread along his cheeks suddenly seemed to make all of his worried thoughts fade momentarily, and Sokka sighed again.

He sweetly kissed one of her temples as a 'thank you,' then looking briefly over at the corridor where his sister had disappeared through.

"Wait here for a sec..." The boy gently parted his arms away from Suki, and stepped out into a particular direction. "I'm just gonna go see what they're talking about..."

Suki's short red hair almost flared up in surprise. "_What? _No. Sokka--_"_

"Just a second, I promise!" Sokka pointed an index finger to the girl in reassurance, scampering off sloppily into the adjacent street in the market place.

And the girl didn't even bother to stop him; it was hopeless getting this boy to do otherwise with that one-track mind of his. Suki crossed her arms in the middle of the street angrily, waiting for that young, stubborn water tribesman to return with satisfaction.

_Why? _She thought, looking up at the sky. _Why did I have to fall for THIS ONE?_

**A/N: that's right, people! The first kiss goes to Sukka! And I adore Teoph like whoa. For those who miss MaiJet, more stuff'll come along, and definitely more Kataang that will totally be worth it. --MM**


	18. the Saridana

**B/R - This was one of the toughest chapters for me, partly because it felt like an Anti-Smoking campaign, or one of those cheesy Valuable Life Lesson things. But I hope that won't be the case as you read it, because I did put a lot of heart to this and am trying to keep the Highschool universe believable. More Kataang to come!**

* * *

"How is he?"

Mai couldn't believe she was doing this, even as she heard herself say those words in a quiet, husky voice to the scrawny girl under the Oak Tree.

What had caught her attention that week wasn't necessarily the fact that a certain boy was missing... but the fact that another boy – a shorter, dark-haired boy – had seemed to have taken his place. She had tried not to think about it at all.. letting herself paint in the same spot she always did, believing that the trip to _Street Fest_ had been all but an intense study of her potential as an artist.

But still, her work was changing; she could see it herself. Mai had felt her mind recapture the intensity and the energy of those small quarters in Ba Sing Se, and her colors became more vivid... choppy... the darkness in his lines suddenly becoming more undulant with life. And she found herself drawing leaves... and vivid details of grass... the fruit from her mother's kitchen table... things that she once seemed to overlook, but ultimately carried a significant amount of life. And to top it all off, she couldn't get a certain boy's voice out of her mind.

Seeing the clan under the Oak Tree that week made her wonder about that mischievous tree-dweller... remembering how all of a sudden he had been gasping for breath under her arms, feeling that sense of helplessness suddenly come back to her again. Who was this new little boy who'd suddenly taken up residence under the tree, watching the older ones practice their dancing in the shade? Mai knew that it wasn't any of her business, but as she felt her small feet approach the Oak Tree that morning before school... it was like she had known these strange kids for a very, very long time.

"What does it matter to you?"

The girl named Smellerbee did not even pause from her dance with Longshot as she spoke to the pale girl, turning her head to exchange a glance with the bulky boy named Pipsqueak, silently telling him to prepare for the next routine.

"I... just wanted to know if he's alright." Mai then asserted just as quietly as before, but crossing her arms with a paintbrush in her hand.

"Why? So you can pretend that you care about him?_ Play with his feelings a little bit more?_" Smellerbee turned her dark eyes sharply towards the girl, and Mai felt completely awkward once again. She felt her face scrunch up in a frown, and despite the warm temperature of the day, the girl could feel goosebumps forming under her skin.

"No," Mai attempted, flatly. Her eyes lingered around the tree, noticing the little boy sitting with them against the trunk of the tree. Something about the boy's sad, vacant expression kept itself in the girl's mind... and she couldn't pin point what it was that intrigued her about it. She turned to Smellerbee again. "I'm... I'm not trying to cause any harm... I just wanted to--"

"Jet's fine," came the scrawny girl's voice, short and crisp. Longshot sighed from behind her and nudged her on the shoulder, but Smellerbee scoffed and just walked over to another side of the tree... not wanting to face the strange pale girl any longer.

Pipsqueak felt extremely out of place... as if he'd missed an entire week of school, looking at Mai like a walking ghost and seeing an exhausted face to Longshot as he faced her now, by himself. He saw the lanky boy with dark hair then approach Mai, calmly, taking a second to look at the ground before finally saying something.

"We saw you walking in _Street Fest _last weekend."

Mai winced, but kept herself completely expressionless. Longshot shifted his eyes at her, calmly continuing to speak.

"What were you doing there?" It wasn't an interrogating voice that came from Longshot... but rather a simple question with curiosity.

And the girl could not find the energy to bring up another lie, at least in that moment of impulse. With a small intake of breath, she spoke from her heart. "I had to know what I put him through. I needed to see it... I–..." her voice trailed for a second, and she looked elsewhere. "Please don't think that I tried to hurt him in any way... I didn't _mean _to–...to..."

Mai could practically feel the goosebumps under her long, elaborate sleeves as she kept her arms crossed. Her discomfort... her guilt... was rising at every second that passed, and Longshot could feel the girl's painful thoughts trembling. He spoke again.

"Jet's been resting at home all week." The boy slowly placed a comforting, skinny hand on the pale girl's arm. "He's fine... he's actually upset that he can't go to school--"

"Yeah, and he can't take me camping on Saturday!"

Mai winced, looking over the little boy as his voice suddenly came into existence. Longshot did as well, in a sigh.

"Sorry, little buddy." Pipsqueak playfully rubbed the boy's head by his helmet. "Looks like you'll have to wait until the next one."

"It's the Boy Scout Survival Club... the one that Sokka runs," Longshot explained loosely to Mai. "They need more chaperones for this trip to the Kalmian swamps, or some kids might not be able to go--"

"_I _still wanna go!" the high-pitched voice of the little boy encompassed the girl's mind again.

And the big, bulky guy patted the boy's head sympathetically. "We know, The Duke... but we have a dance workshop this weekend. We can't take you."

Longshot's eyes narrowed into disappointment as his gaze continued to focus on the boy.

Before she had even pinpointed the Kalmian swamps in a mental geographical map... even before she had rid herself of the uncomfortable goosebumps on her arms... Mai gazed over at the young boy, whose familiarity by the eyes and wispy hair took the girl by immediate surprise.

She heard her own voice dare to speak. "Where... where can I sign up for that?"

Smellerbee's face instantly peeked out in shock from one of the gaps in the tree... and it was like all of Mai's goosebumps had suddenly melted by an intense, rigid amount of heat.

* * *

It was in the most remote shadows made by the sunset on the Ember Island shore where Katara found the young man easily, spotting his form sitting on the sand. She wondered what was keeping his mind occupied out there... if it was the vibrant violet and pink colors of the sky, or the sounds of laughter from the young people who were splashing in the shallow waves of the beach.

Or... she wondered if it was something else; perhaps the fact that the girl he had _prepared himself _to see on the Island had decided not show up after all... making the boy feel guilty for inviting friend on the purpose that suddenly amounted to nothing. But Katara was still there, grinning over at the distant silhouette of Zuko, and she did not seem at all disappointed about being on the Island.

Slowly, like a sudden brush of deja vu, the young waterbender approached the young man sitting by himself on the beach, shuffling her bare feet on the sand quietly for the element of surprise. She smiled as she got closer, and noticed him hugging his knees, looking like a child who'd just been rejected by his friends playing out in the water.

He always seemed to cast a shadow onto himself, no matter where he went.

"I could sense you coming a mile away, you know that?" the raspy voice called out to her from a good 10 feet between them, and Katara's eyes rose for a second. Zuko looked over his shoulder, and stared at her intensely through his flowing dark hair, smiling in the way that said 'nice try'.

She made a fake surrendering sigh, and rushed over to sit herself comfortably next to her friend, feeling the light fabric of her sarong sail against the shore's breeze.

Zuko was returning to look over at the horizon, but one of his copper eyes glanced at the familiar dark red sarong that the young waterbender was suddenly sporting.

"So... I see you raided my mother's closet," the boy teased, easily noted the flowery detail of the golden thread that ran along the edges of the red sarong like a delicate tapestry.

"Hey, I was _freezing, _and she let me borrow it," Katara rolled her eyes, punching her friend lightly on the arm in annoyance."You didn't tell me how cold it was going to be here at night. Thanks_ a lot_."

Zuko gave an exaggerated huff, but then glanced at the girl through his dangling hair, giving a vacant terse expression before returning his focus to the horizon.

"Is it okay?" the girl leaned over to study his face, wondering if the sarong was causing a bit of awkwardness. "I mean if it bothers you, I can– I can try and find a blanket somewhere..."

"No, really, it's fine." The boy looked at her reassuringly, holding back a sheepish grin.

Katara smiled, gingerly saying "thanks" and set herself comfortably on the beach, breathing in the mixed scent of salt water and seaweed coming in from the shore. A couple of minutes passed and the two friends didn't say anything, admiring the glowing sun as it slowly made its way behind the distant edge of the ocean. It entranced them, with the sunset's reflection undulating on the ocean surface, seeing the young people in the water slowly becoming nothing but dark, moving silhouettes.

"You having fun?" Zuko asked her politely, but then noticed how Katara was rubbing her arms to keep herself from shivering by the wind. "Oh... you're still cold-- _dammit_... I'm sorry, it's my fault--"

Quickly, the boy unwrapped his shirt robe and placed it gently onto the girl's shoulders, letting it blanket over before she took hold of it herself with her fingers. It felt a little strange, but she tugged on it loosely, sensing the warmth of the boy quickly diminish the goosebumps she had on her arms. Katara smiled as a 'thank you,' but Zuko just looked back at the sunset, feeling a bit awkward about the gesture, but trying not to think much of it.

It was hard not to, with the breeze was now brushing his bare frame.

"I guess being Fire Nation means you're warm-blooded?" was Katara's faint attempt to making a joke.

Zuko gave a barely audible chuckle, while his fingers traced lines on the sand beneath him. "You could say that. Our bodies just warm up easily... I think that's why I forgot to tell you..."

"Don't worry about it," Katara said, snugging the warm fabric of Zuko's shirt a bit tighter on her shoulders. "And yeah... I am having a good time. Great job with the music, by the way. I had no idea Lu Ten played the guitar like that."

"He and my Uncle are the real musicians of the family," the boy explained simply, without going any further into the subject. Katara raised a brow, wondering why the boy did not mention anything about his drumming.

"What about you? I mean, you play the drums amazingly well..." the girl said positively.

"It was Lu Ten's idea," Zuko said tersely, before Katara could even finish her comment. "He needed a new drummer last year, so I just came in and did it."

Katara blinked, expecting a more elaborate answer. "Don't you enjoy it?"

"It's okay," Zuko responded flatly, looking down at the sand engulfing his toes. "It gives me something to do."

She knew something else must've been on his mind, but Katara did not have the heart to pry like that. His glances to her came half-heartedly, as if he wanted to acknowledge her more, but something else seemed to be forcing him not to. Her eyes narrowed, wondering if she should bring up Mai again... perhaps to discuss why she wasn't there... to see if that was clouding his mind at the moment.

"I'm sorry I wasn't a good distraction," Katara then said, with a hint of teasing. "I guess you didn't need me, after all."

The boy turned his head back to her at those words, with a firm, reassuring glance. "No, I'm glad you came. I'm just... I can't help but think about her... if she's alright..."

"I'm sure she's fine, wherever she is." The girl suggested humbly with hopeful eyes. "She probably decided not to come because she _knew _it would make you uncomfortable."

"Yeah... that could be it," Zuko stared to the ground, as if beaten out of thought, and the girl just looked at him sadly.

Another pause occured between them, and the young waterbender sighed as she practically felt the loss that Zuko was still getting accustomed to.

"She really meant a lot to you, didn't she?" came her soft voice, and Katara shyly avoided contact with his eyes, letting her hands explore the soft sand below her knees.

Zuko let his elbows rest on his knees, letting his body warm a bit more due to the setting sun. "Mai was the only good thing in my life for a long time."

Katara's eyes narrowed with concern, remembering her brief conversation with Ms. Ursa up on the beach house and instantly feeling a bond between her and her son. She had to disagree with him, however it would affect him.

"I don't believe that."

Zuko frowned, almost insulted by the girl trying to defy his own feelings. "Well, _believe_ it."

"No, Zuko. Most of the people I've met here seem to think very highly of you... Do you have any idea how much your mother adores you? I think you're just putting a lot of misery over this one little thing..."

"It wasn't just _one little thing, _Katara!" the boy snapped at her in a frustrated voice, but looking out to the ocean. Having him say her name like that took the girl by slight surprise, but she knew he didn't mean it, from the way he avoided her gaze.

"I did everything I could to make her happy... and on our anniversary, I tried to praise her every being with a fire dance... but what happens? _She tells me it's over, and I get a week of detention for fire-bending at school."_

Katara's eyes began to glimmer at his harsh voice, but she refused to move her focus on him. He was hurt... badly... and she knew that something had to get through.

"But Zuko, you can't just wallow in self-pity over something you don't fully understand. Mai had her reasons for the break-up... and you just have to figure them out."

"I don't need to,." Zuko threw back at her flatly, letting his arms cross tightly as they rested on his elbows. "I already know it's because I failed... just like everything else I've tried to do."

The girl could feel her own teeth gritting against the soft wind of the beach.

"You are_ ridiculous..._" Katara growled, aggravated, shaking some sand off of her foot over at Zuko's direction. The boy just turned his completely away from the girl. "How can you possibly say that you're a failure at _everything?"_

"I see it their eyes." Zuko muttered just clear enough for the girl to hear. "Everyone sees me as the son of Ozai, the betrayer. It's hopeless."

"Zuko, don't say that," Katara lingered her form closer, easing her anger a bit to try and meet his reluctant eyes.

"It's true," he said quietly.

"No, it's _not,_" she attempted. "There's a beautiful person here who loves you so much, who cares about you and really wants you to do something great with your life. She wants you to be happy."

Suddenly, it was like Zuko had heard the sound of his name from a distance, looking at Katara with very awkward, confused eyes. His lips were almost trembling as he tried to talk to her then.

"I... I'm glad you feel this way...but... I really don't think--"

"W-what?" the girl's eyes widened, as if she had missed a certain page in a novel. Suddenly, a cherry-colored blush formed on her cheeks. "Oh... no!... I meant _your mom_, stupid!"

Zuko winced, taking in those words in a couple seconds, before feeling the embarrassing warmth of his cheeks as he closed his eyes. That's when he began to laugh...a genuine whole-hearted one that came in soft bits and pieces from his throat... and Katara had never heard such a sound come out from the boy.

Her musical laughter then followed, losing the strength to keep it in so softly.

"Okay... I'm not saying that _I _don't care about you, either," the girl said between her laughter, placing her hands into the sand beside her for ease. "But let's just focus on Ms. Ursa for now."

She noticed a bit more color appear in Zuko's cheeks, and it flattered her just for a second. He looked at her frankly, with much more comfort after that sincere laughing episode they had.

Her blue eyes gazed at him with much concern, and her voice suddenly became very soft. "Why don't you talk to her anymore, Zuko?"

"It's complicated," the boy sighed looking over at the horizon, acknowledging the dark purples of the sunset.

"You can tell me," Katara took one of her hands out again and tossed a little bit of sand to the boy's sitting frame.

The young firebender flinched from the sand, but instead of saying anything, he just stared at the girl ominously, watching her long hair flow slightly in front of her face. He noticed that she barely blinked, waiting for him to start talking... but it was like all of a sudden, her concerned gaze was draining him of any words. The boy couldn't remember the last time that anyone had looked at him like that, not even with Mai, and he sighed subconsciously... asking his mind to begin explaining something. Anything.

At that point, the sound of a single violin began playing happily behind them on the beach, and Zuko blinked, shifting his gaze over his shoulder to acknowledge the musician. Apparently, a bonfire had been set up – just like how they did it every year – and as a small crowd of people gathered around the fire, Uncle Iroh was commencing the final piece of his mother's birthday tribute.

Zuko realized that he didn't need to say anything to begin explaining himself, and Katara promptly turned her own eyes towards the music, seeing that it was Mr. Iroh playing the violin sweetly to Ms. Ursa and the other guests around the bonfire. The old man couldn't look more pleased with that special serenade he was giving.

That's when the boy started to speak to her, with his natural raspy voice.

"She was only sixteen when they brought her to the Fire Nation palace."

Katara winced and looked over at Zuko again, taking in the start of his monologue, unsure of where it would be taking them.

"It was her destiny to marry my father, according to the Fire Sages. They said she was the granddaughter of the Avatar. They said that if she married into the royalty, she would give the Fire Nation great amounts wisdom and guidance. So on the day she became of age, they asked her..._told _her... to face her destiny and leave her home, because it was for the good of her country. She had never even met my dad."

The girl's eyes slowly frowned at this slow recollection that Zuko was telling. _An arranged marriage_... she thought... _At least Gran-Gran got to run away from that fate, but... but this...? _Katara glaced at the young, peaceful woman sitting by the fire again, and the waterbender found herself pressing the blue pendant on her necklace with her fingertips.

Now and then, Zuko would turn to glance at his mother again in the distance while he spoke, and Katara noticed how his eyes would slowly narrow sullenly, in wonderment.

"She never told me what it was like, but I still see it her eyes... She was scared. I think she was _terrified_ of letting her country down."

The boy moved his legs a little, digging his feet slightly further into the sand as he paused to imagine his young mother in the palace. His voice remained calm, yet very exhausted and sad.

"After a while, she accepted my father as her destiny, and they loved each other... but I don't think they were ever really... friends."

Katara raised an eyebrow, confused, taking in the scent the beach as Zuko paused momentarily. The waterbender had a feeling that this boy's home life had never been a pleasant one... at least not in the way she'd seen her _own _parents together. The girl could not help but slump her shoulders, feeling a certain connection develop as the young firebender continued his story.

"But I see her with my Uncle... the way he always tries to cheer her up, and it makes her so happy. Even though he was destined to rule the Fire Nation, he's never been as serious as my father... and I can tell they've been best friends for a long time. I don't think she would've made it as a Fire Nation royal without him being there for her."

This made the girl turn back to glance at the people in the bonfire, and Katara gazed over at Mr. Iroh, playing the violin serenely for Ms. Ursa.

"That's wonderful that they've been so close," She smiled involuntarily back to Zuko. "Everybody needs someone to look up to."

"Yeah." But there was a sudden flatness in Zuko's voice then, and Katara could faintly hear it. "And for me... that person has always been my father."

Katara blinked, finally piecing the reasoning behind Zuko's story about his mom, and why he was slightly bitter as he saw his mother look so happy with Uncle Iroh. "Zuko... are you jealous of your mom's happiness? Is that why you don't talk to her?"

"No." Zuko frowned in frustration, trying to help himself explain it better. "It's because the one person who should've been there for me decided to _take off _and make me figure things out on my own."

And the young girl sighed, suddenly making sense to the boy's bitterness. "It doesn't have to be like that, Zuko."

"_What do you know?_" came the boy's sudden burst of angry words. "You didn't grow up under your father's shadow, did you? Learning... _training _as much as you could in order to _prove _to him that you weren't a failure?"

Katara's eyes blinked in response, and she could feel them already glistening as she felt the boy's intense disappointment in his heart. Zuko looked at her... not in a glaring way, but in a desperate plea for understanding, making sure she knew what he was going through. He felt his arms trembling then -- whether it was from the coldness of the dusk, or from the feeling he was pouring out, he couldn't tell.

The boy blinked and looked back at the people crowding near the bonfire, the soft violin music still playing joyfully, and certain voices talking and laughing in the background. He sighed and returned his gaze to the horizon, speaking to Katara once again

"My father left," he said plainly. "All he wanted was to prove to Fire Lord Azulon that he was the more capable leader to our country... and when he was rejected... he turned around and _abandoned _his country. He left me out to be a failure."

Zuko's hair moved harshly against the breeze, and he felt the spray of the ocean hit his face as the waves got stronger, closing his eyes.

"I can't help but see myself as a failure, already. Lu Ten will be a tremendous leader, and Azula can work her way through _anything _for the greatness of the Fire Nation... she's already out done me in everything I can offer."

Slowly, the boy opened his copper eyes to look back at a gazing, concerned Katara. He studied her concerned look briefly, before melting his heart into the truth.

"I don't talk to her anymore... because after everything we've been through, I know that she just feels sorry for me. And I'm sick of the pity."

He looked at her for a brief moment, wondering if those words were too much for her, and Zuko sighed while reaching into his pocket to pull out a familiar cannister. The one with the blue dragon. Katara's lips pursed as she noticed that cannister, forcing herself to speak as the boy opened the cannister so casually.

"Zuko... listen to me..." she attempted, with as much assertiveness as she could muster in her voice. "Let go of your father. He may have abandoned his country, where ever he is now... but you're still here. You can still make something of yourself if you just _quit thinking _about everything your sister presses on you."

"It's not that simple," the boy's focus was still on the cannister, then on the cigarette he took out from it.

With one flick of his fingers, a small flame appeared on his hand, and Katara watched sadly as the boy took that lit cigarette into his mouth. It wasn't the scent that disturbed her then... it was the sudden sense of _ease _that came from Zuko when he exhaled that first puff of smoke into the breeze.

She knew she was losing him...

"_Of course_ it's not simple, Zuko...but you have to face things the way they are!" Katara furrowed her brows in slight disappointment, looking out into the beach this time, caressing her water pendant around her neck as she spoke some more.

"You think _my life _has been peachy? Living with a brother who's right all the time? _Constantly_ trying to make the best decisionsfor me ever since my mom died?"

Zuko blinked. He hadn't expected her to bring that up so sincerely. Whenever she mentioned her mother, before, there was always that hint of a pause between her actions, but as the young firebender looked over to her, there was no sign of sadness in her glimmering blue eyes.

When she spoke again, her upset eyes turned sharply back to Zuko.

"You know what? Give me that cigarette."

"Wha– No, Kat--" but the girl instantly snatched the burning cigarette from Zuko's grasp, and the boy moved further over to reach for it, but the girl pushed herself back.

She didn't place it in her mouth... she was just holding it, placing it between two of her fingers and letting the burning ciders of it dance along the breeze. Zuko didn't know why his eyes were glimmering, then, trembling as he hopelessly asked for the cigarette with his reach.

"If this is what you do when you have nothing to hold onto, then I guess I should start practicing... you just inhale and exhale, right? It's like breathing?"

"Katara, stop it– you don't--"

"I think I could get used to this..." the girl slowly moved the cigarette closer to her mouth, seeing the boy's copper eyes reflect fearfully against the tiny light. "I can forget about my life for a minute... I can pretend that I'm fine..."

"_Katara–..."_

"It won't be so bad..." the cigarette was just inches from her lips.

"_DON'T!" _

Before he knew what he was doing, Zuko smacked it harshly off of her hand, sending the lighted cigarette flying off into the distance. They both saw its burning cinders mark the passage it flew, right before landing onto the soft shore of the beach. Katara turned to Zuko, and saw that his copper eyes (even the one that was scarred) were bulging, and his breathing was harsh... as if his heart were beating rapidly by the way he'd reacted. He turned to look at her then, shifting his shimmering copper eyes along her cerulean blue, and yet they didn't say anything.

The funny thing was that Katara did not feel frightened, or confused about the whole thing. She somehow _knew _that Zuko would stop her, but she longed to see if he was _strong enough_ to stop himself from taking out another cigarette. She looked at him sadly, not saying a word as he still panted in breath, and his reaching arm slowly went back at his side.

Zuko clutched the silver cannister in his hand, into a tight, almost confused fist... but he didn't throw it or crush it or do anything else violently. He was still gazing at Katara with all the sadness and guilt in the world. His clutching arm fell limply at his side as if the wind had suddenly become too strong for him, and he held his forehead with the palm of his other arm... thinking. Confused.

Suddenly Katara felt the wind brush along her shoulder, realizing that part of Zuko's sweater had slid off from the commotion. She quickly put it back in place, but still looked at the boy sternly, with much concern.

"I'm sorry, Zuko..." the girl said softly, choosing her words carefully, piece by piece. "...but what if he never comes back?"

The young firebender still panted, attempting to get a hold of himself, but too ashamed to meet the girl's eyes once again. His mind was still playing the reaction... seeing the girl snatch away his cigarette... how he immediately craved it back... and then seeing her hold it so steadily. It terrified him, somehow. That compassionate, beautiful face closing in on what had become an addictive ease to his pain... _why did he snap?_

_Why did he suddenly care so much about what this girl did?_

His hand was still gently planted on his forehead, and he began to breathe normally, but the boy didn't speak. Not even when the girl willingly moved a hand comfortingly onto his shoulder.

"Look at me, Zuko..." she said softly, and it took a few seconds, but the boy's copper eyes eventually met her solid blue. "You are a lot stronger than you think... and I don't know why you're so afraid to show the world how you're _not as weak as you make yourself to be._"

She felt herself shifting closer to the boy's frame, to make sure he got every word. His eyes were shimmering, still, feeling the warmth of the girl's hand travel gently to the side of his face.

"The Fire Nation needs a strong leadership, and goodness knows Lu Ten can't run the entire _country _by himself. You'll have to help him out. He's going to really need you at some point, and you'll have to be ready to give him the best advice possible."

Katara paused, taking a deep breath as she caressed the boy's face and his messy hair.

"And you shouldn't feel ashamed to talk to your mother. She loves you so much, Zuko."

Zuko's copper eyes shifted, reading Katara's every word as they escaped her mouth, and as much as it made him feel uncomfortable, he couldn't help but feel hypnotized by her soft voice. It was a voice of reason... not unlike the things he usually heard from his Uncle or his own mother... but somehow, it was strange hearing them from a girl his own age.

Much less being on Ember Island at sunset, sitting on the beach.

"You're ridiculous..." the boy responded humbly, forming a tiny smile against the palm of the girl's hand. Katara laughed, seeing the sheepishness of the boy's features and knowing he had agreed with her rationality. As strange as it must've felt, she didn't hesitate to give him a hug then... wrapping both of her arms around Zuko's shoulders, not caring that the loose shirt robe had fallen off of her own.

And the boy received that hug with much tranquility, bringing his own arms below to secure them around the girl's waist, holding them there tightly. It was difficult to understand, even then, but this girl had brought him an extraordinary gift... and Zuko was just realizing how special she truly was. How lucky he was to have her.

They parted a few moments later, laughing softly within each other's reach, and Zuko made the daring move to plant his forehead against the girl's own. Katara just smiled at that, sweetly. In that enclosed space, the two friend's took in each other's valuable existence, letting the soft waves of the beach, the flowing strands of their hair, and the sounds from the bonfire give them an immense amount of peace.

"_Hey, Zuko!_"

A familiar old man's voice suddenly broke their connection, and the two friends turned their heads towards the bonfire, seeing Uncle Iroh waving a violin stick to the young firebender. It didn't take long for a blush to form in both of their cheeks, realizing how close they must've looked to the others.

"We need a drummer for the _Saridana. _Come on!"

Mr. Iroh didn't seem to acknowledge their closeness, and was instead gesturing the boy over to the bonfire, where his mother, Azula, Lu Ten, and many other relatives were sitting around with other various small instruments.

"The _Saridana?_" Katara asked, curiously, looking over at Zuko as her blush faded.

"It's a traditional fire-bending dance..." Zuko explained, half embarrassingly. "...about an injured dragon and a small firebird that helps him fly again."

Katara felt her mouth grin. "Cute."

"You wanna come check it out?"

The girl just smiled and nodded happily, letting the boy help her get up from the sand. They both ran towards the only source of light remaining along the shore... a great bonfire, encircled by what looked like twenty people of various ages, sitting on large stones and rocks.

Uncle Iroh seemed to be tuning his oriental violin with his bow, while Lu Ten sat next to him and was improvising on his maroon acoustic guitar. Another unknown relative -- a young man just about Lu Ten's age -- was tuning a bass guitar, while a smiling little girl with a missing tooth laughed and held two sand-shakers playfully as young woman held her tightly in front of the fire. The great fire in the center of the circle brought warmth to Katara almost instantly, and right before they entered the circle, she handed back the shirt robe to Zuko.

The young firebender found his spot in the circle where two large oriental drums had been set up, glimmering by the dancing flames. Katara, however, saw Ms. Ursa gesturing over to her with a hand, asking the young waterbender to sit next to her on the end of a log. The girl could not refuse such an invitation, and as the warmth of the flames consuming her, Katara felt as if she were temporarily becoming a firebender herself.

Ms. Ursa hugged Katara with one arm, as she was one of her favorite students.

Katara had never seen her History teacher sit so prominently straight and tall, and the girl could imagine the development she must have gone through to become part of the royal family. Everyone in the circle admired her graceful smile, that even Azula... who was sitting on the other side of her mother... seemed to be taking a break from her fearless gaze. Katara tried not to acknowledge her that much, but she could almost _feel_ Azula's deadly copper eyes staring at the waterbender every other minute that passed.

The crowd in the circle quieted down, suddenly, as Uncle Iroh began to play his violin with a very serene tune. Ms. Ursa subconsciously held Azula and Katara tightly with her arms as the school counselor got the crowd's attention, and the young waterbender could see in the old man's eyes that he was about to tell the story of the _Saridana._

With one lowering palm of a hand, Uncle Iroh dimmed the great bonfire before them, issuing only the smallest amount of light to his face. Lu Ten began to strum his guitar in the background, while his father began to speak.

"_Thousands of years ago... on the island of Saridana... there lived an extraordinary fire-breathing beast, and he soared the skies... here and back... believing himself to be free. _

_But then a terrible storm occurred, taking what he cherished most... this great gift to see the world_..._ with his injured wings, the dragon could fly no more."_

Iroh firebended the small flames in the center of the circle, the delicate palm of his hand controlling the flames in an occasional flickering. Katara must've sensed that it was a way of showing the sadness of the dragon... and she could not take her eyes away from it. The school counselor then continued to tell the story, with Lu Ten's guitar playing in the background.

"_Time went by, and the beast grew hopeless and sad, and alone... feeling that nothing else... nothing in this world... would bring him that freedom again._

_And from the sky, a small bird appeared on the isle... a celestial bird made of flames... whose gift of music and song... awoke the dragon from its sleep."_

Just as Uncle Iroh said '_sleep_,' his free hand dramatically lifted up towards the sky, bringing the bonfire back into its magnificent flame. Katara's eyes widened gleefully, and the children in the circle laughed and clapped by the enchanted awakening of the fire in front of them. Lu Ten promptly began to strum his guitar in a much faster tune, showing how the music was influencing the flames of the dragon... and suddenly, the waterbender turned her eyes over to Zuko as he began to beat on the giant drums softly with his hands.

The boy with dark hair was concentratinghard on his drums, which made Katara believe that he'd been modest about his feelings for this instrument. She could tell that he loved it... he was passionate about the rhythm. Flames grew bolder and stronger around the bonfire, as the old storyteller seemed to hold it at the palm of his hand... but then he took his hand away from the fire and grasped his violin bow again.

He began to play it delicately, letting the strings of the bow practically move themselves along the instrument, and it reminded Katara of a bird's wings, as it flied beautifully across a clear sky. No sooner did he begin to play, when he looked over at Ms. Ursa from adjacently from the circle, smiling at her in a welcoming way. And the woman smiled back... took in a deep breath and closed eyes to the flames in front of her.

Katara couldn't help but grin... noticing the definite bond of friendship between Mr. Iroh and the young Ms. Ursa... imagining the great moments those two must've shared. And the waterbender gasped in delight, as she heard Ms. Ursa begin to sing the Fire Bird's song to the Wounded Dragon.

"_Hear my voice... see me as I fly to you... let me be your guiding star. My wings of fire... will dry your tears."_

"_Hold me close... do not be afraid of rain... I will show you there is hope. My voice will help you soar again... to the sky."_

Then Zuko, Lu Ten and the other guitar player promptly quickened the beat to the song, and Iron playfully ran the bow along his violin, giving the crowd the energy to clap cheerfully in front of the fire. Katara did, too, though she noticed how Azula seemed to be the only one not going along with the charade. She had her eyes closed... as if concentrating on the heat of the fire. As Ms. Ursa began to clap to the music herself, she began the chorus to the song in fast pace, which Katara could not help but memorize in her head.

"_Take the stars, and make them yours. _

_Feel the wind against your roars._

_You will be, You will be, You will be... strong._

_Flex your wings and make them whole._

_Use the fire from your soul._

_Dance with me, hear me, believe in my song."_

Ms. Ursa continued to clap joyfully at the music. As if the rhythm could not get any more intense, Katara heard Zuko beat the drums rigorously, putting more life into the clapping and music that surrounded them. And then, at the corner of her blue eyes... she saw Azula stand up fiercely from her place in the circle, moving closer to the flames without blinking once. It was like she was in a trance, but Ms. Ursa just smiled proudly at her daughter as she took what looked like a dancing position in front of the bonfire.

And Azula, in her stern, serious state... began to make fire-bending movements along the rhythm that surrounded her... as if she were feeding the fire (the Dragon) with her very own energy (like the Bird). Katara had to stop clapping, because the sinister young girl's movements brought her to an awe... the engulfing circles she threw with her legs, the tumbling she commenced with her arms... Azula was clearly a fire-bending prodigy. Her final move to the fire – which Ms. Ursa herself had to widen her eyes for – was a backwards tumble in the flames herself!

The children gasped and screamed in fear that she was going to get hurt... but Azula -- in all of her calm certainty -- jumped out of the flames to the other side from where she'd tumbled, and finished in an extravagant firebending pose. An immense applause from the children, Ty Lee, Chan and Ms. Ursa followed... but everyone else seemed too shocked to do anything except watch her sit down again.

Although she was quite impressed by Azula's ability, Katara furrowed her eyes, knowing right then that the girl was nothing but a show-off. Exchanging brief glances with Zuko on the other side of the fire, Katara knew he felt the same way. Azula was trying to scare others who dared to dance the _Saridana_ after her... as if forgetting that this was supposed to be a fun tradition.

But strangely enough, the next one who dancedwas none other than Lu Ten, who cued the bass guitar player to continue the music himself as he got up and prominently bowed down to the great bonfire. Katara could see a sparkle in Mr. Iroh's eyes as he saw his son dance fiercely in his own fire-bending moves... kicking and lancing his arms along the music, giving the great Dragon much life. His final move was a straight drop of an arm, and it triggered the flames to launch briefly into a stronger light. Children clapped, and Katara saw how the young girls blushed at the sight of Lu Ten's smile over to them.

A few other people in the circle then came out to dance, and Katara was mesmerized by their fire-bending abilities. Iroh escorted Ms. Ursa for a couples dance, and they fed the fire with beautifully-coordinated moves along opposite sides of the circle.

The girl had never seen such intensity and passion before... it almost made her _OmaShu_ Earthbending dance look like child's play_. _The young waterbender cheered and giggled as the little children then started to practice their firebending moves with their parents around the bondfire, watching them feel so happy to contribute to the Dragon's flight. And the girl noticed Zuko still beating the drums... watching the flames in front with a slight grin on his face... but not at all intending to dance.

Katara frowned, seeing how others like Ty Lee had done backflips and tumbles along the circle of flames, bringing in her cheerful energy to the Fire Nation dance. Ms. Ursa smiled encouragingly over to her son from her side of the flames, and then, so did Mr. Iroh. The pressure was on, and Zuko tried his best to look away and focus on the drums. People were still clapping (except for Azula) and Lu Ten was then patting on his shoulder, saying "_Come on, Zuko... the Dragon needs you!"_

Some people laughed in the circle, but they still clapped their hands, and Zuko suddenly looked over at Katara through the flames once again. She wasn't expecting it, nor did she understand why he would glance at her all of a sudden for moral support, in a traditional dance she didn't even know about. But nevertheless, Katara smiled greatly for him, and Zuko moved his drums over to Lu Ten, letting his cousin give the drumming a try.

People cheered as the quiet boy walked up to the flames, and Azula's eyes were narrowing ferociously as she crossed her arms... preparing to judge this upcoming routine. But Zuko took off with his fire-bending, as if to another world entirely. With his eyes closed, he sent his arms soaring as if to the sky, lighting up the flames in front of him with the rhythm, and jumped in his kicks to it, squatting before every leap of energy he sent to the fire.

Katara's eyes glimmered happily as he made those intense movements; she had never seen this boy so enveloped in something, and she finally realized what he was passionate about. It made him stronger, more determined... more free to be _himself _without any fear of those around him.

In his final set of moves, Lu Ten banged on the drums harshly like thunder, and Zuko launched fists up to the air as he leapt around the flames, giving the bonfire a spectacular appeal to the children. It was as if they could finally see the Dragon taking off into the sky, with its strong wings finally being a part of him. And when he finished, Zuko opened his eyes and bowed at the waist to the great fire Dragon, smiling at Ms. Ursa when he turned to face.

And Ms. Ursa smiled back, watching her son sit and play the drums for the final lyrics of the song. Everyone clapped along, hearing the ethereal voice that came from Ms. Ursa as she finished the song of _Saridana. _Mr. Iroh still played the violin happily, keeping his eyes on Ms. Ursa and giving her the strength she needed.

"_You and I... You and I... within these flames, we take our flight...and claim the sky."_

The music ended just as Ms. Ursa finished her aria, and the children clapped and shouted instantly. Katara laughed, clapping along with the others in the circle, feeling slightly foolish about being the lone waterbender to witness a fire-bending dance... but at that moment, she didn't care. It was a dance that had ultimately opened her heart into a new sense of rhythm and fun that night, and the girl felt very special being in that tight community of Fire Nation to witness such closeness and tradition.

Zuko laughed softly, seeing that ridiculous smile on the waterbender's face as she sat next to his mother. He could see the fascination in her delicate blue eyes as they glimmered against the bonfire's light, and for the first time in his life, Zuko breathed a calm feeling of freedom_._

* * *

**A/N - So, what'd you think? Kataangers, don't throw anything at me. They're just friends! The bonfire thing was inspired by my own family, and I figured that the Fire Nation Royalty tends to have their fun traditions, too. I hope you liked it!I'll try to get another chapter (if not _two_) done before the BIG AVATAR MADNESS next week! _--_MM**


	19. Mai

**Sorry about the delay, but Avatar Madness week had me drawing a poster and watching episodes religiously. My heart is still adjusting to the shock and monumental BRILLIANCE that was _Sozin's Comet_ last Saturday... and the Kataang kiss in the end? WOOHOO!! I decided not to include a Kataang kiss until the next chapter, since I really want to try and give it justice (especially after such a _perfect _kiss in the finale, oh my god). Stay tuned!**

* * *

"How was the camping trip?"

Sokka turned his head from his locker just as he was closing it, hearing that familiar dream-like voice, and he indeed found Yue's celestially beautiful face pass him by in the hallway.

The boy grinned with acknowledgement, but tried hard not to hold his gaze at the lovely waterbender for too long, for the respect of Suki and the fear that she'd throw a Kyoshi fan at him. Even after two years of knowing her, Princess Yue still captured the radiant essence of beauty, and Sokka almost found it an inconvenience that she hung out with his sister a lot. That innocent look about her almost seemed like a misleading illusion - especially after watching her play tennis so fiercely and calmly for the Praying Mantis team. It's no wonder Sokka couldn't look at her straight in the eye.

Sokka involuntarily started scratching one of his arms for imaginary mosquito bites, "Eh, not bad... one of the kids got sea sick from canoeing in the boats, and some crazy Foggy Swamp High kids thought it'd be funny to waterbend the vines and lift our tents in the middle of the night! We had to sleep on the _seaweed vines_... and poor Teo got chased by a tiger-gator on his canoe-chair in the middle of the night."

"Oh dear, I'm sorry to hear about that," Yue's eyebrows arched in surprise, not losing that empathy she seemed to naturally carry in her face.

"Don't be – he's fine, and Toph ended up Earthbending a fort for us, anyway," Sokka laughed to keep his sense of humor alive, trying not to feel the sweat that was trickling behind his ears as Yue still looked at him. He wasn't sure why exactly she was there... perhaps to ask something about his sister?... but for the sake of awkwardness, Sokka kept talking.

He opened his locker again, pretending like he forgot one of his books or science scrolls, and began to say, "Oh yeah! The best part was... you know Mai, that quiet, scary-looking girl with the knives?"

"The artist?" Yue wondered.

"Yep... well she _was a chaperone!_ She just showed up on our meeting before the trip, and didn't say a word... just took out a sketchbook and wrote notes on it. The guys – and Toph – and I thought she'd found the wrong classroom or something, but no! She showed up wearing all this new swamp camping gear, staggering all over the place because she didn't know how to walk on rainboots... it was pretty funny."

"That's strange..." Yue commented, ignoring the snickering in Sokka's mind as he recalled those camping moments with Mai. "... she doesn't seem like the girl who's fond of the wilderness."

"I _know_, right?" Sokka remarked, closing his locker once again and instantly feeling a little bit more comfortable with the talk. "But she was decent at the job, I guess. She kept looking after this one little kid most of the time... making sure he had fun and climbed the trees and stuff."

"Hmm," Yue just said admirably, imagining the joy of having little siblings like that, something she wasn't very familiar with. But she composed herself then, looking at Sokka as he waited for her to say something else. She could tell he was beginning to feel a little awkward.

Slowly, Yue sighed and began to speak. "Sokka... I'm a bit worried about your sister."

Sokka could feel that coming, and he made a frustrated sound of annoyance, watching other kids pass by in the hallway as he thought about what other shenanigans Katara has gotten into.

"Oh really?" the boy's sarcastic voice was up and running. "Does it have to do with some lethal-looking burn-out with a scar on his face?"

Yue blinked, clearly forgetting about how Sokka was dealing to this new friendship that Katara had molded. She couldn't really believe it herself, but as Katara had once mentioned him to her... Zuko did not seem that scary to her anymore.

"Not exactly." Yue then said in a much calmer manner. "She didn't come to water tennis at all last week, and Coach Hama wanted to see if she would be ready to compete again. But I can understand if she's been preoccupied with other things."

"Hmm," Sokka thought, just before brushing it off with more sarcasm. "I think it's the rehearsals... Even when she sleeps, I hear the occasional _'these majestic mountains shall keep a stronghold to our undying love.'_ And she's been a nervous wreck about that special kissing scene, for some reason..."

"Sokka, this is serious," Yue imposed at him assertively, yet worried. "It's about the upcoming class presidential elections."

The young water tribesman snorted uncontrollably, smiling in his cool.

"Oh right, Katara mentioned something about that, but I don't think she'll go through with it." Sokka leaned against the locker wall, getting rid of the weight of books he carried on his back. It was like he was pretending to ignore Yue's lovely presence, pretending that she was like any other student he could talk to. "No offense to you, but can you see my sister – my waterbending, sometimes-too-emotional-to-function sister - actually try and run the student body primarily made up of Fire Nation?"

"I don't know, Sokka, but apparently that's exactly what she's trying to do. She's running against Azula this year."

Sokka blinked into widening eyes, but Yue didn't stop talking.

"I saw her campaign support petition in Mr. Pakku's classroom... he's representing her for the staff, and she's looking for other students to help run her campaign."

It took a few seconds for Sokka's face to suddenly drain itself of blood and look as white as a sheet. His eyes were growing wider and wider.

"_Are you KIDDING me?_"

"I'm afraid not," Yue replied sadly, lowering her head. "Her slogan is: _Water, Earth, Fire, Air. __United. _Katara wants to unite the school, Sokka, and as much as I adore the idea... I think she's--"

"–gonna turn this year into a _living_ _nightmare _is what!" Sokka finished her sentence fiercely, waving his arms wildly, as his face turned bright red from the intense stress. The boy brought himself off of the locker wall and started pacing around, talking to himself. "Is she purposefully trying to give me a heart-attack? I'm too young to die – I have the frickin' _science fair _in three months!"

"Sokka, calm down--" Yue tried to bring a hand to the boy's wandering frame, but it was hopeless. The pretty waterbender could only stare at the young man sadly, wondering if these over-reactive tendencies were a genetic thing.

"I mean _sure_, _Katara_..." Sokka kept talking to himself, looking at the floor. "..._Go_ try out for the play. Learn something new... _But what stale sea prunes was she eating to make her want to run against AZULA!?_"

"I know what you mean, Sokka, believe me." Yue sighed, looking at him intensely through her light blue, radiant eyes. Quickly, she grabbed Sokka's hand before he could throw it back up in the air with frustration. "But Katara knows what Azula is capable of, and I don't think she is doing this to make you crazy."

"She's going to get _hurt_, Yue!" Sokka said, immediately with a pause after realizing who the girl was that was talking to him. His eyes shifted against hers as he watched Yue's blue eyes almost shimmer with tears, and Sokka panted out of breath, regretting what he had said.

He was there that day. He remembered the cruel-looking, unrealistic posters of this beautiful girl wearing something that caught the attention of all the boys in the locker room. Sokka could still hear that encumbering laughter and whistles as the young men stared at the once respectable, magnificent princess of the Northern Watertribe... a girl who just wanted to make a difference in the school, and would have done anything to feel accepted into the public eye.

And as much as her few friends tried to heal those open wounds of Yue's dignity... as much as the boy's sister violently defended her closest water-tennis friend to try and change what had happened to her that day... the result was inevitable. The pictures were seen, and the rumors spread throughout the school like the Nation's wildfire... and all but a few people never saw Princess Yue the same way.

Sokka stared at the lovely girl with radiant white hair... and even though he was certain that last year had already left her system... the boy didn't think it was coincidence that Yue never wore the slightest revealing clothes at school anymore.

"It was my fault, Sokka," the girl then assured to him quietly, staring at him with glimmering eyes. "I made the mistake to listen to Azula... believing that she would help me fit in, saying that we could help each other in the election for the good of Praying Mantis School. She has a way with speaking to people, and I trusted her because she was another princess... but I should've known better. I should've been more careful."

"Yeah, I'm... I'm sorry." Sokka attempted, tugging on his backpack nervously, trying to avoid the girl's lovely and saddened face. "But with Katara... you don't understand. It's like she's constantly trying to change people's lives -- like it's her _job_ -- and she loses herself in it. Azula will do anything to keep her place as class president... and I mean _anything_."

"I know, Sokka, but Katara is not an idiot." Yue looked at the ground, grief-stricken but sincere in her words. "She knows Azula's deceptive tendencies far more than I ever did. If Katara is willing to run against Azula this year to Unite the school, she knows what's at stake. I think it's very brave of her."

A small, hopeful grin came from Yue then, and Sokka couldn't help but shake his head with a frown. He heard other kids passing by – one of them being Teo in his wheelchair – and Sokka smiled, as if pretending that his heartbeat weren't racing with stress at the moment.

"Ugh, what difference does it make?" Sokka then said in a surrendering tone, crossing his arms. "She's not gonna listen to me, anyway."

Yue made a quiet, involuntary laugh, and then brought herself back to a calm ease. "I think we should help her, don't you?"

The young boy turned his head back to the young lovely waterbender, seeing a rare sense of determination in her form. It almost reflected that strong, persistent nature of his sister, and being the proud water tribesman he was, Sokka could not help but go along to help his own people.

"I'll check the student election guidebook in the library when I can. Right now...I gotta head to Mr. Mechanist's office..." Sokka sighed, knowing there was no way around an argument with his sister, especially when it came to planning and promoting her cause.

"Thanks, Sokka." Yue did not hesitate to smile at the boy then, in all of his repressive state, getting closer to wrap her arms around him for just a simple hug.

It was an ordinary hug, and yet it felt like an abundant amount of warmth, what passed through the boy then... and Sokka could not stop it from spreading all the way down to his toes. Of course, Yue wasn't aware of it, but he couldn't help but admire that beauty... and that sensational amount of peace that a simple touch from her would bring to an ordinary water tribesman.

And the boy just gulped on the inside, feeling his muscles cave in as he tried hard not to breathe in the girl's scent... and forcing himself not to hug her back in that fraction of a second that Yue held him like that. There was no questioning to anyone that she was beautiful... even after all that she had been through, and all that she had taken upon herself to outlive, every single day after that dreadful one. Sokka couldn't help but love her, looking down at her face right then and there for who she was... supporting her people and believing that another one of them could change the school.

And just as quickly as it came, the hug was finished, and Yue parted from Sokka and the entire world expanded for him once again in the noisy, busy-bodying locker rooms of the school.

"I should go sign up for her campaign support." Yue began to walk around Sokka, who was still too stiffened and nervous to even meet her eyes again. "Tell Katara I said hello!"

She waved a graceful hand at him before turning completely to walk down the locker corridor, and Sokka watched her form get smaller and smaller in the distance... and seeing her stop for a second to glance at that grotesque campaign poster of Azula.

The boy felt his shoulders slump instantly as she left, looking at all those familiar and unfamiliar faces that seemed to pass him by all of a sudden in the corridors. His eyes longed to find that sweet, adorable face of Suki, for the sincere comfort of holding her, reminding himself that she was as genuine as they came.

He frowned, wanting to curse for feeling so much – almost _as_ much – for a girl that he still barely even knew.

_After two years, why did she _still _have that affect on him? _

Sokka grit his teeth, placed his weak fists against his locker for support, and took the liberty of hitting his own head against it. The year did not seem to look very promising at the moment.

* * *

"I still can't believe we kicked the Northerners' butts like that!"

Aang spun around happily on his spherical air scooter in front of On Ji, laughing happily as the first day of the school week finished up without any trouble. Since Katara had Ms.Ursa's birthday party that weekend, the boy felt generous enough to invite the young girl to the Air Dodgeball tournament that Saturday. He couldn't have thought of anyone else more appreciative of the sport, and On Ji herself was delighted to take part as a spectator.

On Ji laughed at the boy in response, sitting on the stairwell of Praying Mantis's outdoor corridor as she strapped on some strange-looking shoes to her bare feet. "The Southerners definitely had the defense going well for them, but I think they're too safe most of the time. They could have scored twice as many goals if they dared try it out."

"Oh come on..." Aang paused on the ground with his air scooter like the airbending master he was, and looked at On Ji skeptically. "Seventeen to eleven isn't all that bad."

"That's true," On Ji brought her loose hair behind her ears, and steadily walked down the stairs on the funny flat shoes that Aang had never seen before, "but you should brace yourself for the Western girls. I remember their techniques on the field... and they didn't let a single goal opportunity pass them by."

"Haha, whatever you say," Aang teased, wondering if she was bluffing the same way she had talked about her air-gliding skills. Deep down, the young boy didn't care how truthful it was... because he was just happy seeing her smile out of those shy brown eyes. "So... what's with the flat shoes?"

On Ji giggled, observing the giant air scooter that Aang was still propelled on. "Remember how I told you that Mr. Mechanist was fascinated by airbenders?"

"Yeah," Aang's air scooter slowly diminished down into the size of an air dodgeball, before disappearing entirely and making the boy land on his feet.

"Well, he designed these flats for me earlier this year... and they're amazing for air-skating!" On Ji approached Aang, lifting one of her feet to show the tiny little suction cups on the soles of her shoes.

"Air-skating?" the boy lifted his eyes in amazement, and confusion. "Like having little air-scooters under your feet... and being able to _move around _on them?"

On Ji nodded promptly, with a smile. "I know it sounds strange, but actually it's very simple! You just make two little air spheres and place them under the flats... and the tiny suction cups grab hold of the moving air. You can move around on land as if you were skating on ice!"

Aang couldn't believe what he was hearing. For as long as he could remember, he'd been wanting to come up with a way of controlling air currents with his feet... but the smooth arch of the foot wouldn't hold even the tiniest of air spheres to move around. The best thing he could come up with was an Air Scooter... but even _that_ involved a lot of intense concentration and control with his arms. _Was air-skating with your feet really possible!?_

"Oh man... I _have _to see this..."

The young girl blushed and took a few steps backward with her flats, and gracefully... almost as if she were commencing another dance... lifted her arms and made a twisting movement with her hands. Immediately, a pair of small air spheres started propelling above her palms, and Aang couldn't help but 'yelp' with fascination. Right as she was holding those spheres in her hands, On Ji lifted her feet to mid-air, and immediately placed the spheres under her flat shoes.

As her feet approached the ground once again, Aang's mouth fell agape, realizing how the small air spheres were now holding On Ji's weight like a light feather in suspended animation. Slowly, the girl slid her feet from left to the right... approaching him gradually... showing Aang how the air spheres would not escape the suction cups, and the boy utterly felt like Mr. Mechanist had become his new favorite teacher.

"Play rehearsal doesn't start for another twenty minutes. Race you to the water tennis courts?" On Ji challenged, but unable to hold the giggling in her throat. They both knew how ridiculous she sounded, and Aang's fascinated face suddenly turned into sheer amusement.

Promptly, the boy folded his arms in a circular movement and created another solid air scooter under his feet. He didn't say anything right away, but just smiled as he looked at On Ji with fake ferocity.

"_Last one there cleans Appa's toes for a week" _was what came out of Aang's mouth just as he took off across the courtyards, leaving On Ji stupified by his spinning-top mastery.

"_Hey_... cheater...get back here!" On Ji called after him, but soon laughter overtook her system as she skillfully began to speed skate along the greenish path to catch up with the playful boy.

As the two airbending figures sped off towards the end of the courtyards, over to the water Tcourts on the east side of the Praying Mantis High... the young lady with her deadly copper eyes narrowed in fierce repulsiveness, watching them from one of the pillars of the corridor. She stood there, with her usual clan of Rion Jon, Chan, Ty Lee, Mai, and Hide standing around her. They had just started seeing them from the corner of the corridor as the girl demonstrated her air-skating... and with the exception of Mai, the clan observed them like vulnerable, injured prey.

And Azula's copper eyes glowed like a ravaging chameleon tiger.

"There you have it, my dear friends," she said elegantly as she held one of Chan's hands intimately between the fingers. "The airbenders."

"More like air-_freaks_ _of nature_." Hide muttered under his breath, smiling down at Ty Lee as he heard her giggle from that little comment.

"I wouldn't be so harsh, Hide." Azula grinned at the corner of her mouth. "Do you see how confident your little On Ji has become with her art, now that she's met another one of her kind?"

The young man made a disgusted 'hmph' sound, grabbing a hold of Ty Lee's waist more intimately, by with the cheerful, lovely girl did not seem to mind.

Azula continued to speak, "Goodness _knows_ what will happen when they finally discover the other Airbenders lurking around their school... too afraid to show their true identity. We cannot let them build that confidence within themselves. We need to keep them vulnerable. Weak."

"What do you suggest, oh mighty Princess of Darkness?" Mai was obviously getting tired of this plotting, but Azula took that comment with an edge of insult. Something about Mai's tone of voice was bothering her... and she couldn't pinpoint what it was exactly... at least not yet.

"Let's give them an open welcome, shall we?" Azula proposed with such estranged glee, even Chan blinked his eyes at the idea. "Make this Friday a special day for all Airbenders to meet and greet... and we will draw them in with open arms. They will not see the sharpness in our teeth."

"You mean, we're gonna get rid of the kids by _eating them_?" Rion Jon muttered.

Azula growled with sheer sympathy at the boy's stupidity, and Chan managed to give an answer. "I think it's more like... we're gonna stab them in the back... but in a figurative way."

"Yes. _Yes. _That's precisely what I mean." The young lady laid a hand over her furrowed eyebrows, wondering how in the _world_ that boyfriend of hers had made it past 5th grade. "It's all planned out. Zhao will make the announcement after school, since Principal Roku's on leave, as usual... and we will lure those airbenders like lemmings... into the courtyard. And then, we will _show_ them what we think of their customs."

"Brilliant," Chan replied lovingly to his girlfriend.

"On Ji's mine," Hide replied with a slight chuckle of amusement. "I know exactly how to get to her."

"Fine," Azula replied simply. "But leave the Avatar to me. I'll make _sure_ that he knows exactly what kind of school he is dealing with."

After a few more minutes of planning, the small clan broke their separate ways, leaving Azula only with Mai to deal with... and the young woman did not intend to let her most faithful friend trot off so easily just then.

"Where have you been running off to?" Azula then questioned, keeping her focus on the pale girl as she stared back at her stoically.

"Pardon?" Mai pretended not to understand her clearly, turning around from her walk to acknowledge the princess she most dreadfully regretted once trading off relationship advice with. "If you must know, I've been a little busy with some murals for the school."

"I don't believe you." Azula's eyes narrowed dangerously, skeptically at the girl from even ten feet away. "You didn't show up to the last three meetings for my campaign, and I've been forcing Chan to draw the banners... which to be honest... look like a child's fingerpaints. You're hiding something from me. _Tell me what it is._"

"It's none of your business."

Azula's eyes angled in a somewhat irrational way, as if closing in on a moving target. Her voice suddenly became a lot more velvety, and sweet.

"Oh... does this have to do with my brother, Mai? Do you miss him? Are you aware that he's made quite the little friendship with that waterbending peasant... who's coincidentally _running against me_ in this election?"

Mai's mind almost got lost at the name of Zuko, and the girl felt her eyes beginning to glimmer with a certain anger that she had never even felt before. She didn't know if it was about the past heartache of Zuko... or the present interrogation she was getting by Azula... or if it was something else. Something that was clouding her mind and was not giving her Azula's full attention by the sheer scent of seaweed and swamp vines.

"Yeah, maybe that's it." Mai replied simply, not wanting to argue or even speak another word to this outrageous girl. She looked at Azula straight in the eye, thinning them with much repulsiveness and disrespect for what she had just tried to pry out from her... and turned around... not caring that she had turned her back on the princess of her Nation.

Funny... how nothing else really seemed to matter to her right then. It was like a certain sense of peace was lingering towards Mai's system, telling her that she need not comply to a space she did not want to be in. It told her that she could walk off on her own.

It was at that moment when Mai felt a small grin form on her face, turning away from Azula... discovering that living, breathing spirit that was slowly inflaming with life in her own very being. The sounds of laughing children, the noises and creeks of the foggy swamp, even the pounding percussion of music was engulfing her system... not giving room for Azula's fearsome words to bother the girl's mind.

Of course, she wouldn't dare say anything to her just yet... but Mai knew... she knew right then and there that Azula no longer had power over her.

* * *

He was sitting against the trunk of the oak tree that late afternoon, feeling the warmth of the sun gradually fading into the thick clouds.

His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, and worries about how much reading he _still _needed to make up for Mr. Jeong Jeong's analysis of Chinese folklore. The intense hours of studying ahead of him were beyond unpleasant... and Jet could only look at the ground as he sat there, fighting the urge to get up and dance a little bit more.

Smellerbee, Longshot, and Pipsqueak had already taken a carriage back home... if home was what you called a noisy, three-story orphanage with children hanging from the laundry lines. For some reason, the young man couldn't find the energy to go back to a place where he'd just felt confined for a week, unable to dance his heart out at _Street Fest_ or help his little brother learn how to make traps out of slippery swamp vines.

He'd missed out on so much... gotten himself sick over a ridiculous, impossible dream of having a certain girl in his arms... and Jet couldn't help but frown angrily and hit a fist against the ground from those recurring thoughts, still feeling a sense of pain whenever he breathed.

It was hard to believe how relationships once came so easily for him... how there was a time when he'd roamed the Earth Kingdom forests in all of their magnificent splendor, pretending he didn't have a little brother... charming young girls about his travels and making a life for himself as a free spirit. He used to adore that life, trying hard not to laugh as sweet, foolish girls would fall smitten to him as he demonstrated his abilities with the hooked sword.

Jet sighed, still clenching his fist at that life he once had, feeling almost ashamed of it, and not imagining many young hearts he had probably stolen from those years of being a rogue. He wanted to forget about those moments... those giggly, smiling girls... placing his emotions into dance movements and bringing himself to love only the little brother he had left behind.

And for a while, Jet's fresh start at Praying Mantis seemed to carry well under that Oak Tree... apart from the occasional girl who asked for his affection through smiles and laughter.

Yes, he'd seen that sharp-witted, pale, stoic girl pass him by at the school now and then, and even sat behind her in Mr. Pakku's class... but she never seemed to stand out to Jet, even with that malicious-looking dark attire she fashioned. He'd noticed the grace in her walk, and the thinness of her pretty copper eyes and lips, and felt nothing more than intrigued by her inner mystery... too afraid to talk to her about anything. _Anything. _

But what changed him... what completely, and helplessly changed this boy was when he looked over to her desk one day, and realized that this girl was not taking notes at all.

She was sketching... making life out of the simplest lines of ink that told the boy of a talent this girl must have been hiding from the world. Jet remembered how his eyes lingered at her desk, and how he couldn't say a word then, either, because that work had suddenly looked so familiar to him. He had noticed that dark style of work before... and soon, the boy found himself wandering the hallways of Praying Mantis, observing... discovering the great artist behind some of the work that other students just seemed to pass without a moment's notice.

Jet could feel himself becoming more intrigued, more mesmerized by the brush-strokes and the concepts that an ordinary girl creatively used to tell her story. He saw her loneliness... that confinement that came within constant rules, guidelines and consequences given by other people. He saw the closeness between her and the Prince Zuko... and how they ultimately looked like strangers holding hands. He could see her enclosed nature even in the abstract style... unable to break free from the rigidness of feelings, unable to give her art a breathing sense of life. It was like she was afraid to show her passion for this talent she had... too afraid to show passion for anything.

And Jet knew what he had to do; he felt like he'd gotten too involved already... he had to help Mai out of her emotionless shell... to help her realize what an incredible artist she could be.

But he had never expected to fall for her. _Not in that way._

The boy shut his eyes tightly as he sat against the Oak Tree, letting those precious feelings for the girl suddenly take hold of him. He hit another clenched fist against the tree this time, burrowing his eyes into his folded arms as he sat there, still. After a week of not being present in the school, with a humiliating illness ... Jet had no idea how to approach that girl again. His mind was cloudy, and in pain from the idea that Mai would no longer be a part of his routine at school...

"What's with the sulky attitude?"

Jet heard the familiar husky voice like a welcoming of the soft breeze, and slowly, his head came up to find where that voice had come from. He looked behind his shoulder, instantly seeing the outline of a face hidden beneath the branches of the Oak Tree. Seeing those lovely eyes had the power to bring warmth into Jet's face, and the girl brought herself around the tree and stood in front of the sitting Earth Dweller... her arms crossed as if judging him.

Even beneath her silky black bangs, the boy could still see the faintest smile in her eyes.

"I was just looking forward to that crazy test Mr. Jeong Jeong's giving us on Friday," was the boy's simple reply, as he kept his admiring gaze up at the pale, yet radiant girl.

Mai just glanced at him with slight disbelief, shaking her head amusingly. "Whatever," came her dry tone of voice, managing to set herself down under the Oak Tree as well.

She didn't care if the tree's bark or the grass underneath her were affecting the delicate fabric of her clothes, nor did she care if Azula or Smellerbee or anyone else were secretly watching her make herself at home under this tree... next to a boy who'd given her so much, even passively.

A moment passed, looking up at the branches of the tree before she found the courage to say something to him... feeling her husky voice shaking to pick the right words.

"I'm sorry," Mai confessed, holding her hands close over her knees. "I didn't know how to help you that day... I panicked, and then your friends came in to help--"

"Let me tell you something..." Jet couldn't fight the urge to interrupt her thoughts, even with the longing to hear more of her voice. "...when I was crawling to the shade... I couldn't remember what was moving me, but somebody held onto me. I heard somebody's voice calling for help, and I felt someone's hands trying to get the sun out of my face... and... I didn't know if I was hallucinating, or dreaming...or..."

Mai looked away suddenly, too ashamed to stare at that boy she had almost left to burn. There was a deep warmth in her cheeks as she felt the boy's comforting words trail off into a suggestion that she had indeed helped him. That she had saved him.

"It was you, wasn't it," Jet then looked over to her, trying to seek out her pretty eyes again. "You held onto me, tightly."

Mai turned to him sadly, surprised at the calm features in the boy's eyes. She sighed and looked out into the distant courtyard, to the place where she had once painted without disruption. "Jet...I'm not a monster. I couldn't just leave you there...I..."

"What?" Jet could almost sense these threads of feelings seep out from a girl he had once believed to be emotionless.

Mai stared at him, knowing she could never forgive herself for how she treated him that day, feeling that his friends would always despise her as a heartless minion. She wanted to say so much more, but the feelings were overtaking her words, and her universe seemed to shrink into a pair of dark brown eyes that gazed at her, mesmerized.

They looked at each other with what seemed like a mixture of hostility, apprehension, and peace. Jet could feel the amount of sadness lurking in the girl's spirit, but the boy's eyes still glimmered from seeing her. From being so close to her, and listening to her voice as she felt sorry for what she'd done to him. It seemed that in one instant, all the pain Jet had been carrying had suddenly been lifted from his mind, and the boy dared to give her the rarest of smiles.

"I always knew you had a heart, Sharpy."

Mai blinked, recalling that nickname and glancing at the boy from the corner of his eye, suddenly feeling his presence a lot more real to him. She felt her mind adapting to the shade under the Oak Tree, but with her hands feeling cold and unfamiliar with the air that surrounded her. She was afraid to feel the uncovered tree roots that sprouted from the ground, or acknowledge the grass that was at her side.

Jet noticed this, too... and he slowly... carefully, moved one of his hands to brush along Mai's fingers. She flinched at first, but somehow did not feel threatened by the boy's sudden touch, staring at his hand as it played along her knuckles. It almost amused her.

It was a rush of sincere, comfortable warmth that went through Mai, seeing how much this boy was trying to make her feel better. To not feel ashamed or embarrassed to feel anything at all.

With just as much courage, feeling the warmth of her hand take over her heart's intent... Mai moved her fingers around the boy's playful hand and held it tightly. Gracefully.

And the two people under the Oak Tree smiled towards each other under the shade, letting that smallest bit of contact spread into a new sense of understanding between them. It wasn't long before Mai took out her small sketchbook, showing Jet page-by-page the many lively illustrations of the _Street Fest, _and the intricate details of nature in the Kalmian swamps... things that Jet had once felt horrible to miss out on.

But as the boy saw the girl's drawings, hearing her talk about them... Jet's heart began to dance joyously, seeing an unmistakable fire light up in the girl's copper eyes, realizing the progress in her artwork page-by-page. She was becoming an incredible, compassionate artist.

And the boy felt his spirit grow stronger for a girl he knew he was slowly, gradually surrendering his heart to.

* * *

**A/N - no offense to MaiKo fans, since that couple kinda grew on me after the finale... but I just adore the idea of MaiJet. I had to try it out in a story. And yeah, the whole thing about Sokka/Yue was really tough to write, but I wanted to show how Sokka has really complex girl troubles (being that he is... you know... Sokka). Anyway, more shipping fluff on your way! -MM**


	20. Kissing

"So, Twinkle-Toes... I hear you're doing the '_kissing_' scene this afternoon?"

That was the third time Toph decided to spontaneously bring up the subject, knowing it was an easy way of getting the boy to flinch out of his concentration on the football field. Granted, Aang was able to hold his own with Earthbending by now, but just hearing the word 'kiss' got his hands trembling nervously... and he almost couldn't dodge the fist-sized boulders the little girl would throw at him.

"Haha... sorry, LoverBoy, was that too much?" The little Earthbender smirked playfully as the boy tried to regain himself steadily on the ground.

"Huh?" The boy laughed nervously, adjusting his football padding on the shoulders. "Oh, no. I was... just warming up!"

And immediately, he sent a couple of fist-sized boulders over to Toph's direction to see how her reflexes had improved in the air. Her cloudy eyes flinched surprise, but Toph quickly regained her sternness and caught the two boulders precisely with her hands.

"Sheesh, you could've _warned_ me about those," the little girl remarked in a mockingly disappointed tone, before returning the boulders over to Aang's side, along with a small kick of pebbles. "So what about you and Miss Water Nymph? Any idea how _she _feels about the kiss?"

Toph grinned uncontrollably, feeling Aang's nervousness to his very toenails.

Before the young airbender could answer her question, he raised a wall of Earth, blocking the two mounts of rock and the pebbles from hitting his body, then skillfully pushed his hands downward to melt the wall back towards to ground. But just as he did so, he felt his own legs sink into the ground... all the way to his knees! Aang yelped, realizing he placed a little _too much _force into the bending, while Toph laughed her head in disbelief.

"Not too early to start showing off, eh, kid?"

It was Coach Bumi's voice that arrived from the distance, laughing and snorting amusingly as the airbender struggled to get his own legs out of the ground. "You have to be _in tune _with the ground, boy, not be _in love _with it!"

Bumi snorted again, while Aang looked up at his squinty-eyed teacher and blushed an embarrassingly red color. The little girl couldn't help but feel the redness in the boy's cheeks, in spite of laughing a little as well. Toph approached wearily to help the boy out.

But Coach Bumi placed a quick hand at Toph's direction as he crouched to Aang's level, knowing full well that she could "see" a stopping gesture in all of its muscular might. "Don't you worry, he can get himself out of this one..."

Toph frowned, but nodded in agreement, and Aang couldn't do anything except keep his hands planted on the ground, gritting his teeth as he tried to get himself out. Nothing was working. It was like the ground... or someone _in tune_ with the ground... was keeping him from going anywhere.

"Consider this a pop quiz on _jin_. Can you recite the seventh one for me?"

"Um..." Aang struggled with his hands over the ground, looking up at Coach Bumi in his maniacal eyes, trying to remember those notes he'd barely skimmed through a week before. "Is it 'to wait and listen for the opponent's strike?'"

Toph slapped a palm over her forehead, and Aang knew he wasn't even close.

"Try again." Coach Bumi smiled and thinned his lazy eye, and Aang could feel himself sinking further into the ground. He yelped, quickly keeping his hands steady over the Earth as the rest of his body didn't seem to hold itself. The ground was slowly engulfing his waist, now.

"Um..._ uh..._" Aang was devastated, unsure if Coach Bumi was known for letting poor students suffocate in the Earth, if it was an alternative to giving them homework. He wouldn't be _that _cruel of a teacher, right? Not like Mr.Pakku's quizzes, or the unbearable writing assignments of Mr. Jeong Jeong... and Coach Bumi _had _to be less sadistic than Zhao... he _had _to be.

And suddenly, it came to him with a glance at the little girl who stood by him, seeing how stern she was keeping herself as she felt her friend sink. It wasn't cruelty that came from her eyes... but rather a deep, calming glance... believing that Aang could get himself out.

It reminded him of the way he felt about a certain girl with lovely hairloops, knowing that if he trusted her..._ and if he trusted his heart long enough..._

Aang winced at Coach Bumi, shouting, "_Trust!_ You– you have to trust your abilities and use that trust to overcome the opponent's energy... right?"

And the wacky, white-haired Earthbender grinned in all of his insanity to the boy, promptly stopping the ground from sinking him. "Well done."

Unfortunately, the man did not keep the ground from resurfacing the boy's body, and Aang blinked in utter confusion, still stuck from the waist down in dirt.

"Aren't you gonna help me out, now?"

Coach Bumi laughed with another snort, pushing the ground further with his Earthbending fists. "So you think this _jin_ is sillyness, do you? Nothing but funny things to sing about in your spare time? Come on, _put some effort into it! Trust your spiritual muscles!_"

And with that, Aang yelped in his mind.

The boy closed his eyes, feeling the vibrations of the ground that surrounded him and his tense hands that seemed to dig into the dirt as well. Being an airbender, he felt more in tune with animals than any other part of the Earth, and so he imagined himself as a hundred little worm-otters... burrowed inside the ground, all working together to push this ridiculous kid out.

Although he remembered the proper Earthbending movements for 'up,' it was quite different when your were summoning that movement for _yourself. _Aang had to control his body. He had to trust himself as an Earthbender that he _could _manipulate the ground to his own will.

Gritting his teeth, and his mind imagining the freedom to glide in open air (with a particular girl with hairloops)... the boy placed an rapid amount of force into his hands and his buried feet... and he launched himself using the very soil that was keeping him under. When he finally hit the level ground with his feet, Aang almost staggered, but the next thing he heard was a clapping of the hands by his little Earthbending friend.

"Well..." Coach Bumi smiled with a small clap himself. "...looks like you're not a _complete_ air bubble after all."

At that, Coach bended himself off the ground with his snorting fashion and headed to another pair of football players.

Toph just laughed and punched Aang on the arm, showing how proud she was of her pupil.

"You're picking this up, Twinkle Toes!" the girl commented, crossing her arms in a proud fashion. "Maybe I should keep bugging you about Miss Water Nymph... It'll keep things more interesting."

"Listen," Aang sighed, trying to hold himself steady after an exhausting Earthbending challenge, "Could you _please _just stop... bringing her up like that? It's not like I ever ask _you _about Teo, or the stuff that you do together..."

This made Toph blush, almost embarrassingly and the tough-looking football paint under her eyes suddenly seemed to fade with her reddening cheeks.

But Aang didn't care. He pressed the palm of his hand to his forehead, trying not to remember that morning when he saw Katara walking with the shadowy Fire Nation prince. He couldn't get that sweet, familiar laughter out of his mind... and it hurt Aang even more seeing how the girl seemed to be reserving it just for Zuko.

Toph sighed, her mouth closing itself up as she felt the boy's heart rate go slower, as if aching in pain. "Wow. She's really getting to you, isn't she?"

Aang frowned, but he looked towards the uneven ground and just nodded, as if defeated.

"Have you tried _talking_ to her about it?" Toph lightened up, but pounding her foot on the ground to get her point across. "I mean, it took Teo _half-a-dynasty_ to have the guts to ask me out, 'cause we were always just friends. So when he did..."

Toph felt her cheeks flush, and she let out a rare giggle.

"Well, let's just say I wasn't ready for it. Most guys trip over their own feet when they see me... but Teo was cool, and he explained himself. He held my hand the whole time."

One of the girl's small hands went up to her cheek, reminiscing over that special moment with soft, glistening eyes. But then she crossed her arms, looking straight again into Aang's general direction.

"I'll spare you the sweet cheesy melodrama and just say that Teo's the coolest kid I know, after everything he said. It came from the heart." Toph approached Aang with that determined look on her face, and slapped a grip onto his shoulder. "You should do the same, too."

"Toph, I don't know..." Aang wondered hopelessly, feeling his friend's grip dig into his shoulder blade. "How am I supposed to tell her anything, if we don't spend that much time together?"

"You're kidding me, right?" Toph's blush practically disappeared. "Correct me if I'm wrong, LoverBoy, but you're always trying to cheer her up, and aren't you, like, _the leads _in the _frickin' SCHOOL PLAY?_"

Aang felt horrible, raising his eyes towards Toph's assertive stare with her tough eye makeup.

"The moments are _there, _Twinkle Toes. You just gotta _use _them!"

"I _know,"_ Aang pushed himself away, feeling like his ultimate trust in Katara was dwindling with every second he remembered her with Zuko. It wasn't a pleasant feeling at all.

"I just feel like... like I can't_ talk_ to her anymore." Aang wiped some of the dirt off his knees as a way of keeping himself busy. "Like all of a sudden... I found something amazing about On Ji, and we had so much in common, that it made talking to, to _you know who..._ so much harder!"

Toph shook her head in disappointment as Aang held his head together with his hands. "But the feelings are still there, right?"

Aang nodded, feeling a bit of a migraine from thinking too much about the idea of Katara being with someone else. He couldn't get those vivid blue eyes out of his mind.

The girl did not laugh, nor even snicker as she watched the boy's sad, silver eyes make the ultimate confession without words. It was what she'd remembered sensing in Teo's skin, how in the passing of a few moments, he'd made the darkness of Toph's world feel less heavy... and more meaningful to go through.

"Okay, kid, we're gonna do something about this." Toph punched her fist to a palm, as if devising a plan. "Now, you know the kissing scene you have?"

"Yeah..." Aang said almost in a shameful tone, feeling his cheeks warm up as he scratched his head through his football helmet, nervously. "I'm still not sure how she feels about tha--"

"Not important," Toph cut him off, continuing to devise her plan. "I want you to look me in the eye, and _promise _me you're not gonna back out of it today."

The young airbender raised a brow, his cheeks blushing, feeling like he'd missed an entire chunk of conversation. "I don't understand."

"Trust me; if there's anything I understand about girls, it's kissing. You're gonna have to _show _Miss Sweetness that you mean business... that you're not some wimpy kid with a ridiculous little crush." Toph frowned at him reassuringly. "What you have is _solid_, my friend, and you're gonna have to prove it to her with that kiss."

"But, Toph..." Aang could feel the sweat forming under his helmet, trickling down his neck, "...what if I mess it up? _What if I bite her lip and she never speaks to me again!?_"

And the little girl couldn't hold it in any longer. It started with a little snort, quaint and innocent... but then she started to laugh, so hard that her knees gave in and she was rolling herself onto the dirt, pouring her heart out with the girly voice of her laughter. All of a sudden Aang felt too uncomfortable to be in his own skin.

Unfortunately for him, the school gong then rang over their heads, and all the kids in the Earthbending field had to leave to the locker rooms immediately. Toph just sat herself up from the ground after the laughter, and Aang didn't know if he was more ashamed or appalled by her reaction.

"You're one of a kind, Twinkle Toes, you know that?" was all she said, before Earthbending the ground below Aang's feet into a rumble. It seemed to be the only thing to get him going to towards the locker rooms.

* * *

"Aang, are you going to this?"

On Ji made herself into the small crowd outside the Praying Mantis theater. She was clutching a small flyer in her hand, and the young airbender immediately recalled the blue swirls that decorated the corners of the paper.

It was the flyer that had been posted along the walls of the school that entire week.

Needless to say, the fact that Azula was posing fiercely with her arms crossed would've gotten anyone's attention about the flyer... but the insignia of the Air Benders appeared almost hidden at each corner of the paper. Carefully, the boy re-read the flyer with his glinting silver eyes.

_Her highness of the Fire Nation, Princess Azula, _

_invites all proud airbenders of Praying Mantis High School _

_to a special welcoming dinner and ceremony _

_this Friday at 6 o'clock outside the Earthbending Fields._

"That's tomorrow, just about an hour after rehearsal starts," On Ji said, somewhat excited, but apprehensive about the possibilities. Aang glanced at On Ji oddly at that first and together, they looked down and read the last line in the passage.

_It is time for our smallest community of benders to finally be appreciated and recognized._

The young airbender was too bewildered himself. He couldn't understand how Azula – _Princess_ Azula, of all people – would all of a sudden want to acknowledge the culture of the Air Nomads as if they were equals to the Fire Nation. Something just didn't seem right.

"I _was _thinking about it... but it sounds like some sort of trick to me," Aang furrowed his eyebrows in concern, looking out to see if he spotted Katara within the crowd of kids. What made him flinch suddenly was the way that Hide and Ty Lee both looked intriguingly at On Ji's general direction.

"That's what I thought, too," On Ji breathed her shoulders into a slump, feeling somewhat better that Aang had felt the same way about this poster. But something else was lingering in her mind, just as the doors to the theater had opened and the kids started walking in. "I was just wondering... what better chance will we have to meet the other airbenders all at _once_?"

Aang's eyes widened.

As much as he wanted to say 'no' to On Ji's suggestion, it did made sense. The other airbenders in the school would probably be _jumping _at an opportunity like this, to be able to meet the few kids who shared the same abilities and background within the school. Aang felt his blood rushing with the idea, too... but what terrified him was the thought that Azula had something dreadful planned for them.

"On Ji..." Aang kept his eyes peered for any fierce glances from Hide. "I have this feeling she's gonna do something to us."

And the girl's eyebrows furrowed under her dark chocolate bangs of hair, letting her chin rest on the books she carried as they made their way down to the stage for rehearsal.

"Aang, what about the others?" she said, barely audible like a whisper. "...and the Airbenders' pride? Won't we be humiliating _ourselves _if we don't show up at all?"

Aang struggled to keep himself focused on On Ji's words, feeling more and more uncomfortable by the piercing glances that came from Hide and Ty Lee from the back of the theater. Something was _definitely _not right, and he could sense it from the blood draining from his skin.

"You're right," Aang agreed softly, recalling how Monk Gyatso told him that an Airbender made himself known to the world as not being afraid of anything. "I'll should go see what the deal is. But I want you to stay here."

"What?" On Ji raised a reluctant brow. "Aang, no. I'm not going to miss out on this if you're--"

But On Ji stopped.as she noticed her friend's attention shifting over to Katara's scrambling into the theater, clutching a pile of campaign flyers with her hands. The young man who followed her into the theater was none other than Azula's brother himself... also holding a pile of similar flyers, but with a face that showed fearlessness.

It made Aang almost forget how to breathe, watching how Zuko started passing out Katara's presidential campaign flyers among the sitting crowd of rehearsal students, saying "vote for unison and change" in his soft, raspy voice. Aang's eyes lingered at the pretty waterbender's smile, as she ran towards the stage to get ready for _OmaShu _rehearsal.

"Whoa, you're on time?" Sokka teased as he watched his sister run down the aisle. "Ladies and Gentlemen..._the future Class President finally made it to OmaShu rehearsal on ti--" _

But Sokka couldn't finish his sentence... since Katara shoved one of her campaign flyers into his mouth to shut him up amusingly. Suki couldn't help but laugh as Sokka's face turned a slight shade of blue as he spit pieces of the _Vote for Katara_ flyer to the ground, and then flinched as he noticed Zuko from the back of the stage. Sokka's eyes looked anything but pleased.

"Hey Aang!" Katara greeted sweetly, passing a few of her flyers to the small group onstage. Kuzon was the first to react at the girl's picture, blinking in amazement that this girl was the same one standing in front of them.

"Wow... um, you look really good," Haru said as he noticed Katara's radiantly-flowing hair in her poster image. The waterbender was smiling proudly but with such selflessness... On Ji bit her lower lip as she saw Aang's gazing look towards the pretty waterbender.

"Okay, so going into business," Haru folded the poster in his hand, and turned over to On Ji for support. "Today, we're doing the famous _kissing scene_. Don't worry... it's not as dreadful as it sounds."

Kuzon snorted a laugh, and On Ji and Katara couldn't help but blush, hoping that nobody else in the theatre were watching them. Aang was just looking at his shoes, pushing himself to brew some more courage.

"Aang?" Haru called out, and the young boy looked up immediately. "Now I really need you to focus. This is supposed to be the last time that Shu kisses Oma... right before he gets killed in the war... so it needs to be _passionate. Real._ Do you understand?"

The boy felt his vocal chords practically swell up as Haru explained thoroughly with his gesturing arms. Aang made a small glance to Katara then, with his heart almost floating out if his system as she smiled over to him for support. Her blush hadn't left her cheeks.

"Yeah... I think so..." Aang managed to say to Haru, looking at the director with full intent of what he needed to do.

"Okay, so we're gonna take this slow. And On Ji? Kuzon?" The two understudies looked over at the young earthbender promptly. "I want you to practice, too, since it's good to be prepared."

Kuzon did not laugh, then. Rather, his cheeks turned a slight pink, and On Ji giggled.

"Katara, we're gonna take it from your line, starting on page 47..." Haru quickly flipped through his script attached to his clipboard. "..._these walls shall hide our love from the sharpest of spears, my darling Shu, and the crystals of the Earth will guide us."_

Katara nodded, closing her eyes and refreshing her memory with lines from that scene. The young airbender tried not to acknowledge the teasing looks of disgust that came from Sokka in the audience, nor the intriguing gaze that seemed to pass from the shadowy form of Zuko. Apparently, the young Prince had nothing better to do than watch a cheesy theatre rehearsal.

But Aang focused solely on the beautiful girl in front of him, her eyes closed as she held a small blush in her cheeks. She recited her line to Haru, and her voice – at least to the airbender – sounded ethereal and beautiful, and Aang felt like his own Shu lines were suddenly merging into what he was feeling at that very moment.

He didn't need to close his eyes when he spoke them.

"_I hold our love with the strength of this mountain that keeps our villages apart, but in my heart there lies a fear that this war shall never end. Shall we someday be free to walk the woods, and let our lips praise the sunlight?"_

Katara grinned, opening her eyes and letting Aang see them glimmer innocently. She then her next line, feeling her toes curl up in girlish nervousness. _"There is a stronger power beyond this mountain, brave Shu, that gave us the will of the Earth and the shelter to our hearts. I believe the Spirits are on our side, and they ask us to believe that love will survive this war." _

Aang brought his lips into a smile, feeling them tremble._ "It is true that war cannot tear us apart, fair Oma, and tomorrow... as I fight the Western terrain... I will remember what I am trying to protect." _

The boy found himself moving closer to her as they stood onstage, and it was so surreal, the way they just seemed to look at each other so comfortably. Katara was the one who looked elsewhere ,then, unable to handle the warmth of her blushing cheeks, and she spotted Zuko in the audience.

Even from that fair distance, Katara could note a small, supportive smile from Zuko's shadow, and the girl knew she should not be embarrassed over something so genuine. Something so pure.

"Awesome!" came Haru's excited voice from behind them, "That's really good, guys. So now, Aang, I want you to put your right arm gently around Katara's waist... but make sure you _cheat out _– keep your frame turned at an angle towards the audience."

The boy's heart was jumping at these directions, but Aang keep a cool stance and just nodded. He tilted his head slightly to look up at Katara as he got himself closer to her, and the girl couldn't help but giggle as the nervous boy wrapped an arm around her delicate frame.

Kuzon did the same to On Ji, but it all seemed a little more awkward between them... which Hide did not hesitate to acknowledge by sudden cat-calling from the audience. Haru spent a good five minutes just asking those Fire Nation troublemakers to keep quiet as they rehearsed... and Aang had the joy of holding onto Katara quietly during that time... discovering the scent of strawberry blossoms from her hair.

"Okay, where were we?" Haru mumbled as he returned to the stage, flipping through his notes on the clipboard. "Oh, right! Katara... since Aang's a little bit shorter than you, I think it'll be really cute if you lifted his chin a little with your hand. Let's try it with your left hand."

The waterbender giggled as she did so, knowing she must've looked ridiculous to the people out in the audience watching her... especially Zuko... but nonetheless, Katara was determined to finish this scene perfectly. She looked down at Aang's shimmering silver eyes that didn't ever seem to blink as he looked up at her, and Katara felt that nervousness shed from her system. It was strange how those rare, innocent eyes sparked so much comfort to her.

Gracefully, she placed her delicate fingers under the boy's jaw, and Aang could not remember the last time he felt this happy... and terrified, all at once. He could almost feel Katara's heart beating along the hand that securely held her at the waist, his eyes entranced by her close presence. His entire world was shrinking into a beautiful pair of glimmering blue eyes that seemed to invite him into a clear, open sky.

"WooHoo!" Kuzon teased from a corner, and On Ji quickly took an interest in seeing the few wooden boulder props that were scattered around the stage.

Haru turned over to them, wondering why they weren't physically as close as his other two actors. The stern glance from the director quickly made Kuzon swing an arm around On Ji's waist without thinking twice, and the little girl yelped as he jerked her closer to his frame. Surprisingly enough, On Ji smiled and laughed in response... but Hide, far in the audience, was casting a menacing glare towards the sweet little airbender.

"Alright, now here's the moment we've all been waiting for. The moment that's going to _sell the tickets..._" Haru began to say, in a teasing voice walking slowly along the stage. "...and no tongues allowed."

That instantly brought a brighter shade of red to On Ji and Katara, and Aang himself could not help but laugh into a nervous wreck. The bits of muttering and whispering in the audience did not seem to help the situation, either. Haru continued to explain the kiss.

"So ladies... Oma is about to bid farewell to her true love as he gets ready for battle, and I want to show how devoted she is to him," Haru used hand gestures to elaborate his seriousness about the scene. "She's going to initiate the kiss slowly, bringing Shu's face closer. And guys, you'll be moving the girl's waist closer to your body at the same time... it'll show that _inner mischief _of Shu, how he really _wants_ Oma to kiss him. He's that kind of a guy."

Kuzon snorted, and Aang looked to the ground bashfully with laughter. On Ji and Katara exchanged odd glances, giggling yet trying to keep themselves as professional as possible. As the two pairs of lovers kept themselves close, awkwardly, Haru closed his eyes to visualize the kiss in slow motion, and soon began to speak again.

"Okay, Katara... tilt you head a bit to the side, so the audience could still see your face when it gets closer to the kiss. Oma's the central player here... we all _need _to see the love and support you carry for Aan– I mean, Shu. So when you kiss him, I want you to press your lips lightly onto Aang's, keep them there... and Aang will then swoop his other arm around your waist tightly to 'seal the deal'."

Haru's excitement for this scene could not be more clear, with those beaming brown eyes and the elaborate waving of his arms.

"Sound good?" he asked the pair, and Katara nodded after a moment's breath, followed by Aang's grin of determination. Haru turned his head. "On Ji, Kuzon... did you get all of that, over there?"

Kuzon seemed too nervous to realize his head was frantically nodding, but On Ji calmed him down with a small hand to his jawline.

"Okay... so let's try it out," Haru moved calmly over to the front of the stage to face his actors. "I'm gonna count to three, so just take a breath... close your eyes, and try not to think about those butterflies in your stomach."

On Ji was the only one who giggled, as everyone else seemed too preoccupied by the little hints of laughter coming from the people in the audience. Katara could clearly hear Sokka's high-pitched laughing, and she was too nervous to even look at Zuko's quiet demeanor. The young boy who's face she held was looking up at her serenely, and Katara was determined to plant the perfect kiss... however much it was killing her nerves to think about it.

"Ready?" Haru lifted both his arms up, as if he were conducting an orchestra. "_One..._ tilt your head a little more, On Ji..._ Two..._ Aang, keep your hand on her waist firm, pull her closer..."

Aang could only hear Haru's voice like an echo as he kept his gaze on Katara, watching her eyes glimmer closer and closer to him. She looked nervous... they both did... but the boy was not about to let go of his feelings as they were slowly seeping through his entire body. He loved the girl more than anything else in that moment, and Aang closed his eyes, feeling his hand pull Katara's waist further in for the kiss.

Haru then slowly gestured his hands downward, ignoring the snickers from the audience. "...and..._Three._"

But Katara did not move, as much as she had closed her eyes and pleaded for her lips to stop trembling. She felt a series of tiny breaths escape through her nostrils, and she couldn't bear to look at Haru in the eye as he stared over in her direction, waiting. The young waterbender felt a handful of seconds stretch longer and longer... and in panic, her eyes lingered over to see the other Oma and Shu.

As it turned out, On Ji and Kuzon had successfully followed directions to the very end.

Their lips were pressed closely together, with Kuzon's slightly taller form securing On Ji's slender back in a tight hug. It seemed like they hadn't even thought _twice_ about the emotions behind that kiss... and still, it was the most honest... the most extraordinarily blissful moment Katara had ever seen. Haru glanced over to them, and immediately beamed from the result.

"_YES!_ That's how it's done!_" _Haru shouted happily, and a few obnoxious cheers and clapping from the audience came afterwards. Hide, however, did not look at all amused.

Aang reopened his eyes at the sound of clapping, wondering what all the commotion was about... and still desiring Katara's lips. He saw her sad face lingering above him still, and it brought Aang's eyes almost glisten with sadness and confusion. His arm, however, remained tightly around Katara... even as he looked over to see On Ji kissing Kuzon so calmly.

It made the boy's heart skip a beat, seeing _Oma _and _Shu _in their final moment together, but Aang turned his head back to the lovely girl with entrancing blue eyes. The one who made him believe in the impossible, and was now casting her head down like a failure.

Over in the audience, Zuko silently crossed his arms, frowning as if with sad disappointment.

After only a few seconds, On Ji and Kuzon finally broke their kiss, and their reaction was somewhat calm, yet surprising by the shy glances they exchanged in each others' eyes. On Ji began to laugh, burying her head foolishly into Kuzon's frame, and the boy just exhaled a breath... as if he'd been holding it in for minutes. They both looked at Haru's beaming face with smiles, as if they'd just finished an intense hour-long drill in order to make their coach proud.

"Best understudies _ever_," he commented, but then turned to a grief-stricken Katara and Aang, lifting an assertive brow. "What happened to you guys? You were both doing so well."

"I... don't know," Katara mumbled quietly, unable to meet her director's eyes, and her head turning out towards the audience to find Zuko's comforting glance. Aang was still holding her, but his grip was loosening a bit... and he was almost afraid to let her go. "I'm sorry, Haru, but... I just wasn't... it was _too much _for me_._"

Aang's silver eyes rose, concerned at the fragileness of her voice. Sokka was furrowing his eyebrows down in the front row, and he said something like, "_Come on, _Sis. It's not like you've never kissed a guy before," which made the pebbles in Aang's stomach get heavier.

Before he had a chance to dismiss it, Jet's iconic smirk came across the airbender's mind, and Aang immediately frowned to get the image out. He felt his grip on Katara get tighter, which made the girl look over to him oddly.

It wasn't that Aang didn't understand how emotional that kiss was supposed to be... but what bothered him was that he was too focused on getting it done, and getting it right for Katara... that he _himself_ pretended like he couldn't feel or grasp such a special moment. It's like he'd forgotten about his own selfless duty as the Avatar-in-Training... and rather than giving his sense of wisdom and peace to those who needed it... Aang had asked selfishly for this moment with Katara to be real. The boy felt so ashamed; he'd forgotten about the element of _trust_.

Haru was approaching the two of them for more advise, but the young boy curled his toes to speak strongly to the girl he loved, taking a breath before confessing the exact opposite of what he was hoping for.

"Katara, it's okay," Aang spoke to her rationally, letting the close proximity between them bring a new level of comfort as she kept a hand on his shoulder. "You're doing great, but just remember... _Omashu_ is just a play. The kiss isn't real; you don't have to force yourself to feel anything. You just have to be your character."

The boy paused, taking another breath before finishing. "And don't worry... it's just me."

Aang made a playful grin to her, and Katara's sad eyes now seemed to glimmer in a hopeful way. He knew it must've been awkward for her, having to share an intimate moment onstage with a kid whom she had barely spoken to in days... but Aang wanted to show her that it was alright. That her friendship, her _trust_ was more important to him than anything in that moment.

Haru smiled, admiring the fact that there wasn't any strange awkwardness between the two leads. On Ji and Kuzon glanced at their fellow actors with just as much support, now quite a few feet away from one another.

"Stage kissing isn't that horrible," Haru remarked to Katara, with a slight sense of humor in his voice. "Once you learn to detach yourself from your _character_, it isn't so bad. Right, On Ji?"

And the young girl with the long brown bangs suddenly widened her eyes, not expecting to hear her name. Speechless and caught off-guard, a new shade of pink formed in her cheeks, and she couldn't help but cover her face with a hand and laugh while simply saying "oh shut up, Haru."

Haru quit with the teasing, and brought himself back to the two leads. "Well, this actually took longer than I thought, so let's just finish the scene as a whole. Now Katara, Aang... I need you both to stay where you are, as if you were still kissing... because this is gonna transition into a war montage."

The director turned around and called out, "where are my _warriors_?" and Sokka immediately jumped off of his seat excitedly, with Suki still clinging onto his hand.

It seemed that the snickering had ultimately faded away, and as people in the audience gathered themselves up to walk onto the stage, Aang still felt the close presence of Katara right next to him. He realized they were still holding each other close, almost subconsciously, and the girl smiled to him as she brought her other hand around the boy for a hug.

He had always been a sweet kid, and Katara admired the deep black lining around his silver eyes as she gazed down at him. After spending so much time with her campaign plans, exchanging pieces of advice with Zuko, mentally preparing herself for the worst against Azula... the girl immediately remembered why she enjoyed being with this kid. There was a sense of warmth about him she couldn't find in anyone else.

Without even exchanging glances, Katara moved her head closer to the boy's cheek, about to plant a kiss there... but in a sudden, unexpected movement... Aang had turned his face upward, as if to say something to her.

And before they realized what had just happened, their lips touched.

It was not planned. Everyone else (except Zuko) had been too preoccupied at that moment... oblivious to the inner shock and the sparks of surprise that were running through Aang and Katara in the middle of the stage. Their eyes were wide open, with their faces still adjusting to the shock to even do anything about it... but somehow... the strange, foreign sensation didn't seem to be so terrible.

But as quickly as it came, the moment was gone, thanks to the mutual need for air. Too many thoughts, and too many worries about the current scene were running along their minds to even have the _slightest _amount of words. Katara's cheeks flushed with an immense pink tone, and Aang smiled at her nervously, but feeling a small blush form on his own face.

It was all very clear now... holding his gaze so admirably... the boy _was_ in love. And as he watched Katara smile and laugh away her nervousness in that musical tone, Aang knew that she had felt something in that kiss as well, regardless of the way she looked foolishly at Zuko far into the audience.

And it didn't matter to him what feeling it was, exactly, nor did he care about how long it would take for her to say anything about it. He could wait for her.

He could wait lifetimes for her.

* * *

**A/N - faithful readers, I love you all! And this chapter took a hell of a lot longer to write than I anticipated, sorry! Don't you love the fact that Kataang's kiss wasn't drenched in symbolism at all? It just... happened? Now that's my kind of romance! Anyway, there'll be more dreadful Azula coming your way next, and of course shipping fluff. It's my antibody. --MM**


	21. Airbenders

"How was your day at school, Aang?"

Gyatso lingered over to his side of the dining table in slight wonder, trying to meet the young boy's very quiet demeanor as he slowly picked at his grains of brown rice. Aang was usually comfortable enough to talk about the happenings at the Praying Mantis Highschool, (well, _most_ of them, anyway)... and sometimes, with all of his friends crowding around him... Gyatso found it amusing that the boy couldn't shut up.

This particular day, however, Aang had returned to the Temple with Appa practically steering his furry self to land in the front entrance... and he'd arrived much later than the usual _OmaShu _rehearsal hours seemed to deem him. There was a slight restlessness in the boy's silver eyes, like he was slowly replaying a certain image in his mind for hours now... but Aang did not seem so interested in bringing it up. All he did was look over at the dark, intricately-carved stone wall in front of him.

But Gyatso didn't pry, not even when the young boy walk past him with a lowered gaze at the doorway, towards the empty kitchen to find some nourishment for a small empty stomach.

The monk found this strange... _didn't he eat at the Airbending ceremony that afternoon?_... and asked the boy with his soft, elderly voice about his day at school.

Aang didn't answer. He didn't even meet his mentor's eyes as the man sat down next to him, and the young airbender just kept swirling his chopsticks into the bowl of rice. He'd heard what Gyatso has asked, but somehow Aang couldn't find the strength in his voice to say anything.

His voice was still shaking from everything he had witnessed that same afternoon.

* * *

"Aren't you gonna talk to me?"

Zuko blinked from his side of the oak tree, suddenly cursing himself for sounding too harsh. It took a second or two for Mai to acknowledge his presence again, turning her dark copper eyes over to the rogue prince while the real Oak Tree clan continued to practice their hip-hop steps a good feet away from them.

He'd been walking out of the _OmaShu _rehearsal that Friday afternoon, seeing that his waterbender friend had more than enough assistance with her castmates... and his copper eyes caught this familiar dark figure sitting on the Oak Tree. Zuko blinked. Part of him was sad, confused, and even angry as to why Mai had decided to continue with her splendidly fine life without him, and without a single explanation.

Katara kept insisting it; he needed to have this closure.

And Mai had seen this boy spot her sitting with the Earth dwellers from afar, and she sighed... feeling the pain and the awkwardness between them grow in silence. It was Mai who had brought her eyes completely to Zuko, inviting him to the tree's shade with a single gesture of her hand, hoping that the awkwardness would fade with every step.

Unfortunately, it didn't, and Mai once again found herself looking out at the yards, feeling her muscles tense and her heartbeats quickening. There were so many things they needed to say, and Zuko... brave, torn Zuko... patiently waited for this girl to pick up where she'd left him off.

_Alone, sitting on the ledge of the courtyard's fountain, wishing that he could swallow fire as he watched the lovely girl walk away... the "I'm sorry" slowly weighing his shoulders down._

Mai blinked over to Zuko, taking in the boy's angry, confused face back into the reality she was living. She knew she owed him an explanation, but as her ears caught the faint voices of the Earth dwellers practicing nearby... it made her mouth tremble, unsure even where to begin.

But the young break-dancer with wispy hair glanced over to her for a mere second, with encouragement, telling her to move forward with a conversation with Zuko. Jealousy wasn't the issue here. It was all a matter of understanding, and Jet knew how much those two really needed it that day.

Mai let the light breeze move her bangs as she gazed at the Fire Nation prince, tightening her stomach to finally speak.

"I never thanked you for that surprise you gave me."

Zuko furrowed his eyebrows towards the ground, mostly in sadness as he remembered those intricate fire dances he'd performed for Mai on the courtyard that particular afternoon.

"It was great," Mai managed to say through the intensity she could feel clogged in her throat. She'd hurt him - she could tell by the way he didn't meet her eyes, then - but somehow it made talking to him much easier. "I wish I could've done something for you that day."

"You didn't have to do _anything_, Mai." Zuko said almost too quickly, letting his hands brush against the rough bark of the tree as he stared at the ground. "It was our anniversary. I was just trying to make you smile... I wanted to see you be happy with me."

Mai closed her eyes rigidly. After three years... he was finally being honest with her, and the bitterness of his next statement almost made her skin shiver with guilt.

"But I guess that wasn't enough, huh."

His fingers flexed with all the pain and frustration that his eyes were refusing to show, but Mai reopened her eyes on him – not sympathetically, but reasonably. She had to let him know that this wasn't his fault... that it wasn't because he failed at anything. Her determined glance quietly fished for the boy's soft copper eyes until he finally had the courage to look at her.

"Zuko, this has nothing to do with you." Her husky voice became all the more clear, telling the boy she meant every syllable. "It's just that... I needed some time..."

"...for what?" His raspy voice softened in a whisper, immediately looking out towards Jet's direction as that tree-dweller began a new hip-hop dance routine.

"For _me_, you idiot," Mai scoffed, feeling once again like the girlfriend she used to be.

Zuko's eyebrows rose confusingly, as if by the threads of his dark hair. There was a certain sharpness in Mai's voice that seemed foreign to him, despite the sarcastic tone she would usually toss. He knew that she was going to explain herself, and the boy patiently watched as she took her breath.

"Didn't it ever bug you?" The girl's bangs were slowly moving again with the breeze, and Mai looked elsewhere, letting her words filter out her most honest thoughts. "How boring, and dry I was all the time? And how, in spite of everything we did, we never really... _talked_?"

The young man flinched in his leaning position and began to stare into the ground as if in wonderment. Zuko's mind tried to separate those memories one-by-one... those picnics, the walks they took at school, the summers they spent together on the Island... wondering if there was a time the two of them had spoken so openly like they were now.

Zuko furrowed his eyebrows and spoke. "I didn't think about it that much... but... yeah." The boy fought the urge to move himself closer to her, knowing it would've made things awkward. "I guess I was going with the hope that someday, you _would_ try and open up to me."

"But I couldn't." Mai's eyes narrowed into little slits under her bangs, hearing the sadness in her own husky voice. "Why did you stay with me, if I was giving you so much trouble?"

He felt himself take in a small breath, flexing his fingers for comfort he needed.

"Because with you... I didn'thave to be the Fire Nation Prince," Zuko could sense the sweat under his palms, returning his gaze to Mai almost in defeat. "I didn't feel _judged_ around you."

The girl gasped on the inside, suddenly remembering all of those horrible reasons to why she'd grown up around the Fire Nation royal family in the first place. Her eyes almost glistened, recalling the voices of her parents... hearing them explain to a shy little girl why they were transferring her to a more prominent school... the same one Princess Azula attended.

She remembered that proud, keen look on her mother's eyes... and Mai's stomach tightened terribly... refusing to hurt this boy any longer. But it was Zuko who spoke again, and the girl kept her mouth thin and shut, welcoming his voice and letting these uncomfortable memories leave her head.

"I know I'm not the easiest person to talk to, but Mai... you stood by me, after my father disappeared, and even after Azula--"

Zuko paused, quickly feeling a sting in his scarred face from that dreadful night he'd fought with his sister. Mai mustered all the strength she could to not move a hand to comfort that cheek, believing this moment as too vulnerable to pass.

"I know, Zuko," the girl's thin eyes slowly glimmering, "but I couldn't really help you, could I? All I ever did was _kiss_ you, and I thought... that would be enough to let the pain go away."

"Mai..."

"I just wanted to be with you, but I couldn't _feel anything._"

Her eyes then glimmered dangerously on the verge of tears, feeling these selfish words filter out from her best kept mind. Ironically, Zuko also felt his eyes glimmer with that mutual thought... suddenly feeling a selfish, possessive nature take part into what he had felt with Mai. For three years... he valued her comfort, her dark, graceful presence... so much that he couldn't imagine her being with anyone else.

_Perhaps that's why_, he thought, _it was so hard to let go of her._

Zuko took in that beautiful, pale face that he'd known for so long, taking in the vast amount of expression that had grown in her eyes in a matter of _minutes_. He'd never seen her like that before, so full of feeling... and purpose... but the boy knew he wasn't responsible for it. The prince sighed under the oak tree, turning his copper eyes once again to the dancing Earth dwellers in the distance.

To one, in particular.

"I'm sorry that I couldn't help you," the boy rasped in deep atonement, "... but I think _he _is."

Mai blinked. For some reason, she had trouble accepting it at first, but the girl looked out into the distance with Zuko anyway... acknowledging that Jet had indeed played some part in her transformation.

And the girl managed to form a small grin on her face, looking briefly towards the ground. It took only a moment for her to reply with "...I think she's helping you, too."

Zuko turned to her, his eyes slightly surprised and confused, but he knew... he knew _exactly_ who she was referring to... and a tiny, almost embarrassing blush crossed his face. These two young people locked their eyes under the Oak Tree, now with a remarkable sense of understanding.

And it wasn't fair for them. Zuko knew they couldn't fix the past, and he knew that their silence had already made them complete strangers with similar memories. He recoiled... remembering the ghosts that his parents had turned into, all because of _believing_ in something that probably never existed between them.

He couldn't bear to let that happen again.

As he looked at Mai's rigid features beneath her silky bangs, Zuko realized it had been over _far_ before he'd imagined. But still, she was the first one... the first girl he'd ever confided his heart to... and Zuko _had _to finish this the right way.

"Okay, so we deserve more for each other. I get that." His voice was back to its raspy self, and Zuko shifted his eyes to Mai. "But I don't see why we shouldn't be friends."

The girl's grin faded back into a serious stance, looking at her former boyfriend curiously. Intriguingly Part of her didn't believe that it was possible, but the determined look in Zuko's eyes told her that in spite of what she thought of herself... she was still an element to his life that he couldn't replace. Not for anything.

She gave him another small, rare grin that reminisced a certain past... but at the moment she tried to say something... a small figure caught the corner of Mai's eye.

Zuko turned his head as well, noticing the same moving figure cross the Earth dwellers' paths. It was a young girl in Fire Nation garb, no older than twelve, practically hopping on one foot to place some strange flat shoes on her feet. She was heading towards the forest with a panting, flustered look on her face.

It was only after they saw her leap and create two small air spheres with her hands... cupping them under the soles of her shoes to air-skate into the dark trees... that Mai recalled the posters of a certain _welcoming ceremony_ planned that very afternoon_._

And her eyes rose, alarmingly. Without saying a word, Mai hurriedly ran off to catch up to the little girl into the dark woods... wherever she was going. Jet – who'd furrowed his eyebrows throughout the whole ordeal -- didn't think twice before following this commotion into the forest as well, with his hooked swords clutched in his hands.

"Jet, _where're you going_?" Smellerbee called out after him, but Longshot knew this must've been serious, and quickly grabbed his bow and her hand to charge into the woods. Pipsqueak, slightly confused, gulped some water from a canteen and ran behind them.

Zuko remained under the Oak tree. Hesitating and feeling his scar weigh him down... the boy looked ahead at the dark forest, knowing very well that he had to someday overcome the cruelty of his sister. And so, after a few seconds, he stepped out of the tree's shade and sprinted into unknown, hearing countless scampering of Earth dwellers' feet and the gliding jumps of Mai ahead of him.

* * *

"Tell me what happened, Aang. Please."

Gyatso's unusually stern voice made its way into the quiet presence of the boy, knowing this withdrawn nature of him had a very serious explanation. He sat on the opposite side of the table, with all the patience that an elderly monk like him could accomplish, in order to reassure the ongoing trust he had with this young airbender.

And Aang picked up a small grain of rice with his chopsticks, limply, and let it fall back onto his bowl without an effort to eat any more. His mouth was trembling, wanting to shout or scream or cry out everything he had witnessed all at once during that ceremony... but it could only come in pieces... and Aang felt the energy inside of him draining as that afternoon slowly played again in his mind.

"Aang, are you in trouble? Did one of your friends get hurt?" Gyatso managed to ask, not showing any sense of anger or alarm in his features. He was calm... waiting for the boy let go of his chopsticks and start spilling all of the things that were still fresh and locked up in his trembling face.

The young airbender looked down at his bowl, and mumbled the first few words in a shaken, distraught voice.

"We were ambushed."

* * *

"Welcome, my brave airbenders."

Her voice was as silky and smooth as the hair that kept her royal top knot centered, and small handful of kids who arrived at the Earth-bending field were rather surprised to see that nobody else was with her. Princess Azula stood there, alone, near one of the football poles, waiting for the group of airbenders to meet her with open arms.

Aang had been the last one to arrive, almost falling into a heated argument with On Ji as to why she should stay behind and help with _OmaShu_ rehearsal. He didn't mention anything about Hide, and Aang had practically _begged_ Haru to assign her extra tasks to do that day... so she couldn't possibly have an excuse to leave.

He sat down with the same red bandana over his scalp, quietly, pretending that Azula was not focusing her eyes towards him. As he took in the five slightly unfamiliar people around him, and remembered seeing a certain one of them walk among the school's various hallways, or eating lunch out in the courtyards every so often. One of them, a girl wearing the traditional Kyoshi attire, must've been in the same dance room when Aang had discovered On Ji's secret.

The boy was excited. Knowing they all shared the same gift he possessed... Aang could not help but feel a certain attachment slowly building among them. They were all proud to be airbenders, he thought... and in spite of how different they looked, they all managed to stick together.

"I'm very glad to see that you've all been humble enough to reveal yourselves to the Praying Mantis community. Even if there are only six of you, that does not mean the school should--"

Suddenly, Azula stopped in mid-sentence, looking sternly around the group and recounting the faces she saw. Something about her did not seemed pleased at the result.

The small ground of kids sitting in the circle abruptly turned their heads to each other, and Aang kept his form steadily, trying to prepare himself to protect them from the slightest surprise coming their way. Azula's copper eyes suddenly narrowed, and she subconsciously turned over to Aang... as if already suggesting that he was their ringleader.

"Well that'sinteresting... my sources told me there were _seven_ of you in Praying Mantis High."

There was no use hiding the missing girl's identity, because the boy could see in Azula's glaring eyes that she'd already known about all seven of them for a long time. At least for now, Aang did not have a reason to lie about her whereabouts, and he kept his silver eyes on Azula.

"On Ji's at play rehearsal right now," Aang explained in a slight quiet, reasonable tone. " She's the stage manager; she couldn't come."

He finished his explanation flatly, trying hard not to feel guilty about asking Haru to keep her busy that particular afternoon. Something in his mind told him it was the best thing to do... _keep her safe._

"Ah, I see..." Azula made a fierce glance over to one of the young men at her side, who also seemed to look rather upset. Aang didn't take his eyes off of that man, knowing full well it was Hide under that mask. "Well, no matter... we will be sure to _welcome _her eventually."

Aang narrowed his eyes briefly, but continued to stay calm as the princess spoke her welcoming.

"Now some of you all may not find me appealing, but let me assure you... in spite of everything you may have witnessed from me in the past... I do not mean any harm. My purpose as Class President is to bring this school together, in the strongest, most dependable means necessary... and I do not plan to ignore even the smallest community of people here.

"I understand that many of you airbenders have felt neglected by this school_._ Well, let me assure that I – Princess Azula – do not intend to degrade your culture in any way, because I would like to propose to you my services in _promoting _your culture to the rest of the Praying Mantis community. Only by extremity will you be able to gain recognition in this school, and I will do whatever it takes to acquire your _social acceptance _here."

Azula did not try to hide the determined glimmer in her copper eyes, giving her presence an incredible amount of warmth to the ones sitting in front of her.

"All that I ask is for you to trust me as your Class President."

The kids looked at her blandly, utterly scared to move in their seats by the sound of her pleasant, understanding tone of voice. Azula even took the liberty of walking closer to them in the circle, making a little route for herself as she noted the slightly confused faces of the airbenders. Only Aang's seemed to stay focused by her ongoing oration.

"I am a very powerful figure here – not just being a Fire Nation royal – but with three consecutive years in control of the rules that govern our student body. I am just sorry that I have not been able to use that power to make your airbending community stronger, and I would like to make it up to you. I can give you much consolation on the necessities to be accepted by these so-called prejudice people... those who do not seem to find the goodness in everything... _different_."

Aang flinched at that word, looking straight to the ground and trying to keep himself from furrowing his eyebrows. He didn't like the way she said it; there was something about her voice that changed sarcastically.

"What say you, Loung? Brei An?"

Azula centered her eyes on the slouching boy with dreadlocks sitting at Aang's side, and then on the tall girl playing with her long black braid timidly at the very back. They both flinched at the sound of their names, as if not expecting them to be said by the fierce-looking woman.

"Ms. Ursa keeps telling me what exceptional voices you both have in the Praying Mantis chamber choir..." the princess then mentioned over to them. "Don't you also desire to let the rest of the school know about your astounding set of airbending _pipes_?"

The two students blinked, glancing over at one another with a curious look in their eyes. Loung turned his head away nervously, and Aang could see a faint recollection of On Ji in his features... remembering how timid she was when she'd first brought up her airbending past.

"Or how about you, Suganya?" Azula turned her eyes to focus on the serious young woman dressed in Kyoshi attire, who had her arms crossed. She did not look very pleased to hear her name, but Azula was patient enough to keep talking. "Haven't you had enough of being _just another_ _ensemble girl _in the Kyoshi dance troupe?"

"This isn't about being the best dancer, Azula," the girl named Suganya replied through her make-up and assertive voice. "The Kyoshi work as a team, and our leader is selected by artistic and creative purposes. We do not see ourselves as a hierarchy."

Aang gasped on the inside, feeling astonished that someone of his kind was finally able to speak against Azula's intentions. But much to his surprise, the Fire Nation princess just stared at the Kyoshi dancer... almost as if she'd expected her to disagree.

"Very well..." Azula complied. "...but isn't it true that you've long desired to show Suki your potential, Suganya? Demonstrate once and for all how the art of fan-dancing came to be? It is such a shame to think that you would want to hide your precious past under so much make-up..."

Suganya raised her eyes at that statement, and her arms kept themselves crossed tightly with one of her hands holding a delicate Kyoshi fan. Azula made a daring little smile of comfort to the young woman, hoping that she had reached the girl's thoughts successfully.

Proudly, she moved on to the two frightened-looking boys in Fire Nation colors, who both sported a small number of freckles on their noses and only had a few inches of height difference. Aang immediately knew they must've been brothers.

"My dear Xai and Xuan... It seems like a long time ago, doesn't it? That our family relations faded into nothingness... but don't think I haven't forgotten your _true _family history... your Nomadic father and how he gave up his citizenship at the Temple in order to stay with your noble Fire Nation mother. It still brings tears to my eyes whenever I think of it."

Both of the boys exchanged odd glances with Azula, wondering if she was about to go into their story in further detail... but the princess just smiled at them humbly. Xai, the older brother, lifted a hand to say something to the girl, but Xuan beat him to it with his childish little voice.

"Yeah, sometimes we forget that we _are _airbenders... Dad never really wanted to teach us about it. He didn't think it was safe."

"And I completely understand," Azula replied with such empathy. "Your father believed that the Fire Nation was priding itself too much with its own culture, that others would immediately be put down upon. I'm sorry to admit that my _own _father carried that sense of pride, but ever since his... disappearance... well, everything has changed."

Xai slumped his shoulders and looked over at his brother, as if still questioning whether or not he saw himself as an airbending. Azula looked into the young man's eyes from her fair distance.

"Wouldn't you both like to finally train yourselves with the culture you were born into? To show your father that, in spite of his unwillingness to teach you... you can still become two of the _greatest airbenders in the school_?"

Aang felt his thumbs go numb by how tightly he was clutching his fingers at his side, unsure and unaware of how much Azula may have dug up on _his own_ identity. His eyes were almost flaming with utter confusion about this whole meeting... and the fact that Azula's eyes seemed so calm did nothing expect _frighten _him out of his skin. Her words were so eloquent, her voice so pleasing to listen to... Aang had to look elsewhere so as to not fall into that copper web of her eyes.

But much to his surprise, the young woman did not say anything about Aang at all. She just stood there and fixed her dangerous eyes on him, as if saying she knew _much more_ about him than he hoped, and there was no reason for her to bring it up. At least then.

Azula looked back up towards the entirety of the group, filling them again with her calm, articulate voice.

"For those who feel they can trust me, and desire to give me a chance... I invite you to follow me and my friends into the woods for a special campfire dinner. I believe it will be a special opportunity for us to get to know one another, as Fire Nation and Air Citizens, and leave our judgement to rest."

Azula's eyes glimmered sweetly, narrowing them in a way that showed promise and determination in her own means. Aang turned his head, and noticed how Loung was practically ready to get up and follow this woman's voice to the edge of a cliff. The boy's face was hopeful, raising his vibrant blue eyes of the Southern Water Tribe with much eagerness to eat.

The tall girl named Brei An was the first one to get up in response, holding a very nervous-yet-trustworthy smile on her face. It then brought a domino effect, as Aang gradually saw Loung get up, then the two young Fire Nation boys with matching freckles on their noses, ... and then the Suganya, whose skeptical dark green eyes set her off as being the eldest of that small group.

Aang immediately wished On Ji had been with him, then, watching how a dozen pairs of eyes suddenly looked over in his direction. Airbenders always stood together..._ it was another one of Gyatso's numerous philosophies to the boy_... and Aang knew that his decision would either make or break his profound friendship to these kids. As strange as it seemed, the airbender could not help but already feel connected to them, almost like he had already known them for weeks... their faces and eyes being imprinted in his mind with every millisecond that passed.

He had no other choice but to go along with the charade.

The next thing Aang could remember were the lovely natural sounds of the Earth Kingdom woods as Azula led the small ground deep, deep into it. She seemed to know where to go, moving left or right now and then by the familiar trees, and the kids could not help but follow her faithfully... then blindly... as they had no idea how dense these dark woods had become.

Aang was the last one of the line, right behind Suganya as the boy followed the drapery of the girl's Kyoshi uniform. The sounds of the overlooking wild fascinated the young boy, but he couldn't help but feel that they were walking for a certainly long time.

Aang noticed the close proximity of the trees surrounding him. It seemed like the smallest spark could engulf an entire row of precious Redwoods into flames, and the boy frowned intensely at that. Not a moment before he'd frowned did he realize the group had come into a complete stop, and he almost tripped over Suganya's draping robe in reaction. The kids were huddled around, among the foreignness of the magnificent trees and the small patches of light coming from atop.

As they turned their heads towards Azula, standing next to a rather thick, beautiful Redwood tree... they noticed a small rotisserie contraption behind her, and the woman's stood there, her arms at her side. There was something roasting on the small contraption, what looked like young armadillo pig with a fresh peach in its mouth... and Aang stared at the whole image with an intensifying horror. The animal had clearly been caught recently... and beaten to death.

It wasn't until Loung nervously said "but... but we're vegetarians..." that an eruption of sounds came from the branches hovering them, and like a graceful set of dark tree-lizards... another group of people landed on the ground and stood near Azula's side.

Their attire was all the same – deep reds and blacks that corresponded to their Fire Nation pride – and even though they wore coverings up to their noses, Aang recognized some of their eyes.

_Ty Lee. Rion Jon. Chan, standing faithfully next to his princess. Hide. Among a handful of other unknowns. _

Aang's eyes rose in shock, while the other kids seemed to slowly hold themselves close by the appearance of these dark people. Devastatingly, most of the airbenders looked over at Azula for a type of explanation... but the woman remained calm, smiling at them as if she were admiring an exotic plate of dinner.

"What the _hell_ is this, Azula?" Suganya demanded, going in front of the group and taking out a fan like the Kyoshi guardian she was. Even in her defensive mind, they were outnumbered.

"Why, Suganya, how dare you raise your voice like that to me?" Azula stepped out a little, keeping her voice velvety and calm. "Don't you see that I'm trying to _commend _your airbending culture? You must be very hungry... why don't you be the first to try the armadillo pig?"

Azula then snatched one of the firepokers near the rotisserie contraption, and violently punctured it into the animal, forking out a good chunk of meat to show to Suganya.

The Kyoshi dancer raised her eyes then, disgusted. Frightened.

"It's quite delicious," the princess then commented, simply, taking a bite out of the meat herself and making sure all the airbenders could watch.

Suganya felt her hand tremble as it continued to hold her fan defensively.

"No?" Azula questioned, and then brought the fork of armadillo pig over to the other kids, one-by-one, who instantly backed away from it like opposing magnets.

"We... we don't eat meat," came Xai's voice, comforting his younger brother's scared face.

"_Correction,_" the princess then protested fiercely, "_Airbenders don't eat animals that have been hunted – _I've done my share of research. This_ particular_ armadillo pig died from natural causes. Rion Jon found him dead in the woods."

"No, he didn't."

Aang's eyes rose, hearing the sound of his own voice express the hatred of this scene. The dark, faceless figures all stared at the young airbender... and particularly... at the red bandana he was sporting. Azula was the last to turn to him, her smile not leaving her face.

"Oh really, child? Is there something about you that believes you have a _connection_ to all living creatures? That you can actually _feel_ their emotions... their pain... even after they've died?"

The boy looked up at the princess in deep horror, feeling a vast amoung of pebbles beginning to weigh his stomach down. He couldn't speak... he felt his mouth almost trembling in fright as Azula continued to stare at him fondly. But she did not press him further into the matter.

"Foolish idea, isn't it?" Azula then remarked, turning herself around to put the firepoker back in its place. "Well, since it seems that nobody is hungry at the moment... why don't we just move on to the _next _part of our ceremony?"

That seemed to cue the henchmen behind her to move closer to the airbenders... slowly walking around the small circle of kids so they didn't have a single place to run. Aang saw how Ty Lee had moved promptly behind Loung... how she was fixing her eyes on his dreadlocks. An unknown henchman was also admiring Brei An's long black braid the same way... and Aang shivered to think what exactly Azula had planned for them next.

And then it came to him... right when he saw a handful of henchmen take out pairs of scissors from their pockets. And the young Fire Nation princess spoke nonchalantly.

"Since you all answered my invitation willingly, I assumed that your pride as airbenders goes beyond any sense of boundary or limitation. Wouldn't it be wonderful... if you revealed yourselves to the school in your _traditional airbending presence_?"

Azula grinned, particularly at the Brei An and Suganya who were instantly grabbing hold of their own hair. "Lucky for you, girls... female airbenders are only bald at the _front_... but I will greatly enjoy seeing how distinguished you will look at school."

The unknown person behind Brei An instantly pushed her forward, and she cowered over with a yelping sound as she hit the ground on all fours. She still hung onto her long braid, frightened, even as Azula approached her slowly with a pair of scissors now glinting in her hands.

Brei An gasped, her eyes almost on the verge of tears, as the unknown henchman held her down.

Aang quickly tried to get near her, and so did Loung and Suganya, but they were both held back by the henchmen who stood near them. "_Let me go!_" Aang said under his breath, but as he realized, the strong arm holding the boy back belonged to Hide.

"Aw, Brei An... why are you crying?" Azula said in a sweet, motherly voice as the sharp scissors got closer to the girl's scalp. "Don't you want to show the world what you've been hiding? Don't you want them to see what you _truly_ are?"

"_No... p-please, don't do this,"_ Brei An still held onto her precious hair almost like it was her lifeforce, shaking with the small sobs that were coming out of her. _"I... I don't want to be an airbender..."_

Aang growled furiously, seeing that princess practically ripping this girl's world apart. "STOP IT, AZULA!" He screamed over Hide's grasp, and instantly chose to demonstrate his airbending ability to everyone. Aang pushed Hide back against the tree and ran towards the center of the circle to bring himself between Azula and a trembling Brei An.

"So much resistance?" the young woman questioned, in her eloquent voice, as she stared at the young boy. "All I'm trying to do is help your people, and _this _is how you thank me? Airbenders do not seem to demonstrate the best of gratitude..."

Azula smiled and replaced the scissors back into her robes, not taking her eyes off the boy's silver ones. But then she opened one of her palms in a fierce way, revealing to Aang the first blue flames he had ever seen in his life.

"Oh well. A promise _is _a promise... and I'm afraid I do not intend to break one. Ever."

And before Aang could process what she meant, a few of Azula's henchmen quickly encircled themselves into a larger area in the group, including Hide and Chan. They'd summoned their palms with fire to confine the few airbenders within those flames. There was no place to run.

Immediately, Ty Lee began to giggle and held her own victim down, beginning to place the scissors near Loung's dreadlocks. Aang tried to go over there and help him, but Azula immediately sliced a blue flame over his head, engulfing the bandana into nothing but ashes. Aang gasped in panic, as his blue arrow was finally exposed to the others around him, and Xai and Xuan gasped at first sight. They knew what the arrow meant... since their father had also sported those blue arrows, too.

"_He's a master!"_ Xuan screamed out happily, pointing a finger to Aang as if he were a new toy. Aang blinked, but quickly went back to try and help Loung out of Ty Lee's clutches. He barely missed hitting Ty Lee, as her acrobatic tricks sent her off to one of the tree branches far too unclear for Aang to see beyond the henchman-made fire perimeter. The dancing flames that encircled the entire group was already making him – as well as the other airbenders – too dizzy to even think. But Aang refused to let anyone get hurt.

He whooshed two gulfs of air with both of his hands, concentrating fiercely as he aimed one at Ty Lee, and the other back at Azula as she tried to bring him down. Loung began winding his arms in front of him like a windmill... trying to keep a couple of henchmen (one of them being Rion Jon) away from Brei An, as the girl held to little Xuan with all the care she could muster. Suganya had already found good use to her Kyoshi fan and wooden katana sword by hurling herself over to two henchmen that were strangling Xai to try and cut his hair. It was clear that she and Loung had practiced the element well... but Aang was still panicking.

None of the other kids seemed to be showing the same amount of confidence with airbending – perhaps they were too _scared_? -- but Azula was slowly narrowing her eyes at them. Promptly, her other hand then summoned a blue flame, and she leaped like a grand acrobat to bring her closest opponent, Suganya, down... breaking her wooden katana sword in two pieces.

Ty Lee landed gracefully from the dark trees right behind the brave Loung, and right before Aang's eyes, he saw how a few jabs with her fingers left the proud airbender with dreadlocks completely helpless, staggering slightly to shield himself over Brei An and the little Xuan. Ty Lee somehow lost interest in that group, and then swiftly cartwheeled herself over to Aang's direction.

The fire circle seemed to be their only source of light, and Aang was still trying to keep himself steady as Ty Lee tried to jab him. Aang was quick, though, but the threatening stance of Azula over Xai's restraint and Suganya's limp body was distracting him at the corner of his eye. It wasn't until he saw the princess place a blue flame over Xai's hair that the boy suddenly screamed out of concentration. But Ty Lee expertly jabbed him into a limping, crawling mess.

Xai groaned ferociously and painfully at the sudden loss of his hair, with his hands feeling the newly-burned skin that made up his scalp. It was dark red, some parts maroon... and the henchmen in the circle could not help but cheer at the appearance of their Fire Nation color.

"Now you can show loyalty to the _both_ nations you represent, Xai," Azula exclaimed almost wholeheartedly, keeping a foot down on Suganya. "Trust me, you will thank me for this."

But then, something happened inside of Aang. Something that drew attention to the kids in the circle, the ones inflaming the circle, and even the young princess who held herself over the entire group. It came to him in a matter of heavy breaths... as if he were gasping for the life force and energy inside of his body... and keeping himself on the ground limply, the breaths became like growls. Like there was an ferocious animal slowly taking life from within the boy.

Azula was the only who didn't lift an eyelid in shock... not even when the boy arrows began to glow, lifting his head from the ground to reveal a blinding light that replaced his eyes. Aang was still bound by the _chi_ that Ty Lee had expertly blocked with her jabs, but still, the _spirit_ that growled angrily from the boy was taking every moment to show it existed.

Of course, Azula knew that this would occur. It was only a matter as to how she would_ provoke it_... and she was delighted that it happened so soon.

"My dear airbenders and profound colleagues..." the bold princess then began to say. "May I present to you... the _real _guest of honor for our ceremony: Aang, our next hero to the world. The _Avatar-in-Training._"

In spite of the fact that his world was swirling in ferocious amounts of weighted light, Aang could hear the faint words that Azula was saying, and it only made his spirit growl harsher. He couldn't move his legs or his hands that much, but from he could notice in the _energy_ from the other airbenders... they were scared_. __Terrified _of what Aang had become.

The Princess knew she had gotten to them, to all of the airbenders and her most trusted Fire Nation classmates alike. She could tell by the frightened-yet-fascinated look in their eyes, that they couldn't imagine a powerful little boy like that parading around the school, talking about the peacefulness of airbending. It was exactly what she _needed _them to believe... if she ever wanted to win this election and put the Fire Nation in its rightful place.

"Airbenders, let me ask you..." the sly woman walked over Suganya and let the fire reflect her keen copper eyes. "...would you _want _your established airbending community to be represented by such a _powerful, ferocious-looking_ freak of nature?"

Aang was breathing heavily, still, with his eyes and arrows still glowing uncontrollably that seemed to place everyone into a frightened trance. Suganya seemed to be the only one who looked straight to Azula, getting herself up and nervously tending to Xai's recent head burn. The vile princess continued in her negotiating rhetoric, walking towards the Avatar-in-Training himself as he still cowered in the circle.

"Or... would you rather represent yourselves as the tranquil, graceful, and spiritual people that you are?" Azula smiled wryly, keeping the blue flames strongly from her palms as she kneeled over to Aang. She admired the perplexed look of shock coming from Loung as she did so.

"Because I would be _more _than happy to get rid of him for you--"

And that was when everything became a blur, at least to the young airbender still struggling to control his inner Spirit. All he remembered hearing then was a great _SWOOOSH!!_, that sounded immensely similar to the noise that his air-scooter made, except smaller and swifter. He could see the faint image of a girl with brown bangs gritting her lips shut, winding herself in a circle to push Azula out of any harm's reach.

Aang could hear the faint rustling of feet from the dark woods, coming closer and closer to the great fire circle that encased them. He remembered seeing a dark, mysterious young woman glide downwards among the patches of light from the trees, immediately beginning to throw sharp sticks and knives over to Azula's direction, attempting to pin her down. He saw the way Azula fought back, saying "_Mai, what are you doing? You TRAITOR!"_ with the intensity of blue flames as the dark, pale girl tried to dodge them. It was like the replaying of that first moment he'd seen those two girls fight each other, out in the Earthbending fields.

The boy could hear the shouting from the henchmen, particularly the voice of Hide as he commanded the others to break the circle and pursue these airbenders into the deep woods. Sounds of feet eventually became people, and Aang saw the faint figures he thought he'd recognized... one of a young man who swiftly swung out dangerous fireballs with a glinting pair of hooked swords, in order to rescue a frightened little Xuan from the clutches of a henchman, and seeing the little airbender grab hold of Jet's leg as he started swinging up the trees by the chase from the same henchman.

He heard the piercing sound of Longshot's arrows as he nailed Rion Jon and an unknown henchman to separate trees, while the husky voice of Smellerbee and the low voice of Pipsqueak started directing Brei An and Xai into the woods for safety, while their fighting/break-dancing moves held the henchmen off. Suganya seemed to hold her own with the graceful fans as she blocked incoming fireballs from Chan, and she grabbed a hold of Loung somewhere along the chaos, trying to keep up with the Brei An and Xuan to protect them in those woods.

He remembered how the same girl with brown bangs still remained, taking in this growling animal that her friend had become, almost _too afraid _to help it. And then he heard Hide's voice suddenly greeting her from a short distance, saying a vicious "_well, you finally made it, On Ji." _

Aang's spirit gasped greatly, making the painful block of _chi_ almost burst out of his trembling breaths, knowing he was unable to help her. On Ji startled, keeping herself motionless on her air-skates as she watched Hide run towards her with a flaming fireball in his hand.

And just as Aang felt the ferocity of his Avatar Spirit begin to leave him... he managed to bang a fist onto the ground to summon a mound of Earth in front of Hide. The firebender tripped over his own feet, and flew almost in mid-air to On Ji's direction, landing on the hard ground.

Hide grit his teeth, struggling to get himself up from the landing, and Ty Lee ran over to his side to comfort him briefly. But his eyes remained on On Ji.

"_What happened?_" The young girl quickly asked Aang in the midst of the noisy commotion of the woods. There wasn't any time to explain how she got there, and she tried hard to lift the boy up in all of his current weakness, hoping that her air-skates wouldn't slip the two of them down... but before she could get Aang to fully sit up, Hide threw a fireball in their direction.

It was Aang who air-shielded it off, but On Ji twirled an arm gracefully to bring a remarkable gush wind to Hide and Ty Lee to confuse them.

"_On Ji, go – get -- help,"_ Aang managed to say between his painful regeneration of _chi. _"_I'll be fine._"

On Ji raised her eyebrows, with a slight glistening in her eyes that Aang could clearly see under the messiness of her bangs. But Hide was still pursuing her, under the hidden henchman colors he was wearing... and On Ji _knew _she had to get help before things got worse. But refusing to leave her friend, she picked up Aang's entire body quickly and held him over her back, making sure the air-skates still held their feather-light weight. Aang promptly wrapped his arms around her shoulders like a brace, too weak to argue otherwise.

And before she could see Hide's pursuit, On Ji said "_hold on!"_ to her friend and she skated the two of them swiftly out of the chaos in that small realm of the woods.

It was Chan who surprised them, immediately sending a fireball over while the girl struggled to change directions in her skates to dodge them. Aang did what he could to block incoming fireballs from Hide behind them, but Aang saw from the moving patches of light above him that Ty Lee was pursuing the right moment to strike again.

They quickly caught up with the running Loung and Brei An in the distance, as the boy with dreadlocks did all he could to air-blow some forthcoming henchmen away. Aang saw how Brei An had swiftly picked up a 'leaping' technique with her running that came from her airbending ability, and the boy smiled with how much more confident she looked.

Suganya had ultimately decided to escape in the trees, along with the still-injured Xai as he followed rustily behind her. On Ji could see her interpretive dancing classmate as she worked really hard to get that burned airbender into the swift and graceful leap of the tree branches. She also saw how Ty Lee got slightly occupied with one of Suganya's air-swirling fans... almost driving her off a tree.

Chan and Hide were still in pursuit, and On Ji was nearly distracted by another dark, moving figure ahead of her... that she didn't see the intense flash of _lightning_ that took both of her air-skates by surprise. It came from the far distance behind the airbenders... but Azula was still deadly in her precision... and she watched amusingly as the two young kids screamed and toppled to the ground of tree roots and dirt. Fireballs seemed to be coming from deep within the woods, like little faint fireflies... and as Aang opened his eyes and struggled to get himself fully up, On Ji had practically disappeared.

And he found her on the ground, a good twenty feet away from them, clutching an arm with her entire body caving in painfully. _Was it broken? _With her bangs disheveled, messier than ever, On Ji still opened her eyes to see where Aang had landed. But she didn't have time to get to him, as Hide approached her and Chan approached the young Avatar-in-Training, respectfully.

But Aang saw the opening to the school yards like a small patch of heavenly light ahead of them. They were so close to safety... they _needed _to get out of the woods.

Chan didn't waste any time launching fireballs towards the young boy as he got himself up from the ground. Aang used the strength he had to summon his Earthbending skills with two closed fists, and gesturing accordingly... Chan sunk deep into the ground all the way to his shoulders.

"_Hey! _Get me out of here, you – Avatar – _freak --" _was Chan's attempt at getting out, but Aang didn't listen to that. His ears caught the faint screaming of On Ji in that distance, and the boy watched as his friend fell under the dark clutches of Hide and Ty Lee next to him. And Azula was still on his trail.

"_Let go of her, Hide!_" The boy knew exactly who it was under that mask, but Hide was not afraid to reveal his identity as Aang screamed at him. He had a rough hand threateningly by here delicate neck, but On Ji quickly swooped a leg from underneath and airbended herself free.

As Aang started to catch up to them, On Ji was doing graceful backturns, letting the momentum of her legs bring violent gusts of air against Hide like defensive jabs. But she wasn't as a graceful as Ty Lee, who immediately leapt through the air and made a few finger jabs of her own onto On Ji's body. And the girl fell, almost as stiff as the trees around here.

"_On Ji!_" Aang shouted, but the moment he tried to reach her, another set of blue lightning caught his attention. Barely missing his nose as it came across his face. Azula was right behind the boy, smiling intently, with flames in both her hands.

And the boy quickly airbended a shield from her, sending gusts of wind from his hands to try and block her multiple firing moves.

Within that chaos, all that the boy could hear were the harsh words of Hide as he stood over the innocent girl on the ground... things that Aang couldn't even imagine such a man to say. He remembered how he mentioned Kuzon in there, and how much of a _hypocrite_ On Ji was, being able to kiss a strange boy like that with all the pride and morality she supposedly _carried_ as an airbender.

"_You wanted to be an airbender so badly...?" _Hide lifted On Ji's head and neck above the ground by her sleek, brown hair, using his other hand to summon a small red flame. It was like he was speaking with his angry eyes, as the black cloth covered his mouth. Ty Lee had climbed the branches to watch the scene from atop, unaware of the shadowy figure lingering near her.

"_Hide -- don't do this! Hide, please..." _On Ji whimpered, and even in that distance... Aang could hear it, too.

"_...Then let's _make_ you an airbender." _The young man kept a hold of the young girl's lovely hair, letting the palm of his flaming hand move closer to it. It was like the flame was also melting On Ji's face, by the way Aang saw tears splotching down to her chin. A few of her delicate bangs were catching fire, and On Ji screamed with her eyes shut tightly.

And that was when the dark figure in the trees had had enough.

He swooped down right past Ty Lee in the branches, swinging himself diligently around a branch to knock Hide away from On Ji with his feet. Aang was trying so hard to hold himself steady with Azula's incoming fireballs, he didn't recognize the familiar burn on that young man's face as he began to throw similar fireballs to Hide.

"_What the HELL is wrong with you, Hide? ARE YOU CRAZY?" _Zuko yelled at the other guy with all his fury, as Hide tried to throw his own anger at him as well.

Azula leapt over with an immensely strong wave of fire, practically blinding Aang and confining him to a tree. At the corner of his eye, he saw that Ty Lee was ready to strike her jabs onto Zuko. And immediately, before the young acrobat could move any faster... Aang felt the vibrations of her feet from the ground, and concentrated with all his might to bury that girl under the heavy dirt. He thought about On Ji, how she was whimpering in such pain from a short distance away from him... and Aang knew what he had to do.

_Be in tune with the ground, Aang. Know that you have the ability to control the Earth._

Right when Azula was about to launch another deadly fire wave at him, Aang closed his eyes, and felt the Earth vibrating from the three dark villains in those woods. He felt the energy of Ty Lee, Hide, and Azula from the ground all at once... and as an impulsive act of defense... the boy raised both of his fists in the air and threw them downwards.

It didn't work the way he'd expected, but it was good enough. Azula was buried to the shoulders, Ty Lee to her elbows, and Hide to the base of his neck. The boy brought himself to an ease, feeling so much energy drain from him after the most Earthbending he'd ever done.

Azula was gritting her teeth, struggling to get herself out of the ground, but realizing that her legs were also entangled by tree roots beneath the ground. Her hair was slightly disheveled by that point, but she glared at the young boy anyway... knowing she'd find another opportunity to break him.

But Aang didn't see that. He turned over and saw On Ji still whimpering in pain, and he watched as Zuko (for now he _recognized _Zuko) carefully lifted the injured girl into his arms. The dark prince gestured with his head that Aang follow him out of the woods, and with Azula's growling and Hide's ongoing curses and yells... the three of them escaped that hellish labyrinth.

The first face he saw was Katara's, as she was water-healing the burned scalp of Xai with her delicate hands. At the moment she saw Aang, a gasp of surprise and utter joy crossed her face.

"Aang!" She exclaimed from the distance, still tending to Xai's wound, and raised a brow to see Aang's bald head be exposed fully. "What happened? On Ji had just _left rehearsal_ without saying anything, and Haru asked me to look for he--"

But Katara stopped, then noticing the small, injured girl that Zuko was carrying in his arms. As she did so, Aang overlooked his surroundings, and found the other airbenders outside... all covered in dirt and filth... along with Mai carefully massaging a wrist of hers, and Jet being carefully at her side. The other Oak Tree kids were slowly leading the small airbenders towards to school to get medical attention... but what deeply took the boy by surprise was the amount of injury that he saw in On Ji as her face hit the open sunlight.

She'd been burned. A good bit of her hair was left missing by Hide's cruel intent, and a raw scar had taken its place at the side of her forehead. Aang felt his heart almost sink, hearing her sniffle and whimper lightly as if she were still living this nightmare. Zuko gently laid her to the ground, her eyes still being closed tightly in pain, and Katara broke her hug with Aang to get to her

"On Ji?" Aang called to her softly, worriedly, but the girl just stirred.

"She'll be okay," Zuko rasped in assurance, moving a bit of her loose hair to study the burn, already seeing that it wasn't too terrible. It didn't even touch her eyebrows, but Katara went over to Zuko's side to study the girl's skin... and immediately started to tend to it.

What Aang did not realize, just then, was how all the other Airbenders were still looking at that young boy with all the discomfort and fear in the world.

* * *

"They know who I am."

He softly concluded his story to Gyatso in the stiffling, shaking breaths in his voice.

Aang wasn't sure if it was the build-up of all that chaos from the afternoon, or if it came from the smallest, painful stirs from On Ji's little body as the boy looked down at her sadly. His eyes were slowly beginning to water right in front of his mentor's face, as he sat across that table, with his rice untouched for what seemed forever.

Before he could even tell his glimmering eyes to stop tearing... Aang gave up... and he let the weight of his thoughts and tightening of his stomach bring a new whirl of pain in his throat. He covered his slightly distorted, saddened face with his hands, and let those inner sobs take over his entire being.

"Monk Gyatso... I can't go back there. _I can't!_" All of a sudden, the face of Katara seemed like an unseen dream, and the young airbender sniffled and whimpered like a wounded bison between his words. "Azula got to them... now everyone thinks it's _my fault _that the airbenders got hurt...I should've saved them... _I... I HATE BEING THE AVATAR!_"

And Aang quickly put his rage onto the small bowl of rice, and hit it across the table with the small grains leaving a scattered trail. Gyatso closed his eyes, mustering all the patience and wisdom that he could to a boy who was hurt much more that he'd ever imagined.

It was going to be quite a long night for the two of them, between that table.

**A/N - For those of you who made it this far, I greatly commend you. This was my most difficult chapter to write, thus far, and I sincerely hope my ability to write action gets better... for the sake of all the chapters coming up. Thanks for all of the feedback, too! Until the next one. --MM**


	22. Listen

"You can't just let my sister off so easily, Zhao_._"

Zuko was keeping himself as calm as possible, but on the verge of setting the vice principal's tranquilly dim office in flames. Aang could see that in the young man's clenching fists, as he stood behind him in the group of familiar kids who crowded around the small room. Katara and Sokka had also shown up to the meeting... and the lovely girl had a comforting hand on Aang's shoulder, keeping him steady as this argument kept building itself up.

"You will address your Vice Principal in the _correct_ way, your highness," the older man responded with an edge of malice and sarcasm. "From what I can gather, princess Azula and her friends did nothing but try and show her _admiration and respect_ to the Air kids. She did her research... she even tried to welcome them with a lovely campfire dinner... but it looks like these Air people aren't the thankful _type_."

"She set my head on fire," Xai brought up soft-spokenly next to Zuko, letting the candlelight of the room embrace the tanned scar that now overtook his scalp.

"An accident on her part... she explained it to me, and her reasoning was understandable. Don't all male airbenders shave their heads anyway?"

"Yes, but--"

"And didn't you want to be presented as an airbender in this school?"

Zhao pried at him through his maliciously stern eyes, and Xai could feel himself getting nervous, his form sinking back into the small group of people who surrounded him.

"Y–yes... but--"

"Then I believe she did nothing except do you a favor," the vice principal sat back in his seat with nothing except the thinning of his lips hiding a sadistic, smug look on his face. It made all but one student raise eyes in disbelief.

"_That's not what happened, Zhao, and you KNOW IT!"_

Zuko was gritting his teeth as he said what he felt, without remorse, stepping closer in an unbelievable growl to the vice principal's desk dangerously. His clenched fists were seeping with steam, and the few people behind him stepped back in fright. Aang didn't move from his place, and neither did Katara.

The young airbender could barely take in everything being said, with his eyes wandering sadly to the group of familiar classmates who'd been called into that room along with him, that Wednesday afternoon. Goodness knows why it had taken Zhao so long to set up a meeting about this incident, and Aang was certain that it was under Azula's suggestion... perhaps for the _'victims' _to have a proper cool-down period.

Seeing Katara's faithful eyes, there, standing in that room full of arguments out of her own will was enough to remind Aang that not all was completely lost.

Only a handful of days had past since the airbending ceremony... though it seemed like weeks. He had missed the strong daylight, the calm thoughts in his mind, and it didn't bother Aang so much that the airbenders where still reluctant to speak to him. To even _acknowledge _his presence. What really bothered the boy was that the young girl who'd once smiled and laughed shyly to him under her dark brown bangs... had not shown up to school yet.

He'd sent a messenger-hawk to her family twice since the incident, asking if she was okay.

Part of him worried that he would never see On Ji again.

"And that outburst just cost you another Saturday detention, prince Zuko," the man then responded, but with an obvious hint of enjoyment. Katara's lips trembled with deep anger because of that, and Sokka was the one who had to look at her, and reassure her to be still.

Zhao continued to speak almost exclusively to the torn prince. "It seems to me that you're trying to set these air people free from all the regulations against them."

"But Vice Principal, _that's just it_," Suganya then spoke up from the very corner of the room, clearly sounding exhausted by this heated argument. "We're not the ones who should be punished; it was Azula and a group of... of... _Firebenders_ who attacked us."

"Oh?" Zhao leaned on his chair, craning himself closer to the students. "And why would the princess of the most civilized, respectable Nation in the world attack a group of harmless young air people?"

Sokka stood next to Suganya, his face looking furious by the soft candlelight in the office. He could tell she hated how Zhao seemed to mention them as if they were invisible. "Because Azula is a ruthless, power-hungry psychopath. That's why."

Unfortunately Zhao did not look at all amused.

"Name-calling is not going to get your arguments anywhere," the former military man crossed his arms, narrowing his eyes to mentally remember the distinct faces of these students who were putting down his own precious Fire Nation.

"But he's telling you the truth!" Katara spoke up once and for all, ignoring the fact that Sokka was urging her not to. "Azula's a monster, and the only reason she's doing this is to scare the airbenders. She wants them to see how powerful she is, compared to me... so they won't have a choice _but _to vote for her in the Class Presidency."

"The only thing I hear is you speaking badly about your opposing candidate, Katara."

Katara widened her blue eyes and grimaced. "_That's because you're not LISTENING to me."_

It was Aang who held her back, gripping a small hand to her arm.

"Watch that tone of yours, girl," Zhao warned in his scraping, monotone voice, so much that Sokka was now getting annoyed by it. "Don't forget that with any sort of misconduct from you this year... I can have you suspended. And I suggest you _stay away _from her highness at all costs."

"And what do you suggest_ we_ do, Zhao?" This time it was Jet's rough-ridden voice that came from the very back of the room, his face barely getting any candlelight. "Just sit back, and wait for this noble princess to strike at these young kids again? One of her buddies tried to attack a _nine-year-old_ in those woods. That doesn't sound like a very honorable, _princess-_y thing to me."

Aang noticed how the fierceness of Katara's blue eyes faded momentarily; hearing that familiar charismatic voice... but he kept his grip on her steadily... comfortingly, bringing her back to the current situation.

"I've had quite enough with your smooth-talking nonsense, boy..." Zhao tossed over a menacing look to Jet. "...and don't think I'll start believing any ridiculous thing you say."

"But someone _did_ attack Xuan... he's my little brother." Xai mustered the courage to speak up from his dark shadow, again. "I don't know who it was, but I could tell it was a guy--"

"It was Rion Jon," Mai then brought her voice into existence, looking to one of the tapestries in lowered eyes. "He was supposed to attack the airbending siblings that day."

Everyone seemed to look over in Mai's direction, with Jet keeping at her side in the most intriguing gaze ever. The slender, pale girl lifted her thin eyes from the ground, finally marking her presence to Zhao, and revealing to everyone that _she_ could be the valid source they were looking for.

Or so they thought.

"Ah... so you must be Mai, right?" Zhao smiled over to the pale young woman, in a keen eye, as if she were some sort of contraption he was about to take apart, piece by piece. "Princess Azula warned me about you."

Mai blinked, taken aback by that sudden change to Zhao's voice (almost sympathetic). Jet was ultimately confused, and Zuko turned over his shoulder to see the faint expression the girl's face, wondering what the hell Zhao was going to bring up.

"About how you kept to yourself all the time... how it was Princess Azula who took pity on you, and befriended you out of the goodness of her dear heart. And in spite of everything she's done for you... you turned your back on her by refusing to help with her campaign."

Aang had never seen the pale girl's eyes widen so much, changing into a rare color: two elliptical spheres of aged silver. It almost reminded him of his own eyes, whenever he felt afraid or threatened by something he didn't understand. The room was speechless.

"Oh, and incidentally...she told me about the _knives _you carry around in the school grounds."

Zhao kept his gaze on the pale, withering girl, oblivious to the sour looks that Zuko and Jet were returning to him.

"But her Highness suggested that I give you a light punishment... saying it must've been your _troubled mind _that would provoke you to use these knives, almost as a cry for help. Is that right?"

Zuko clenched his fists into tiny smoke, desiring nothing but to punch Zhao in the face.

Mai was utterly lifeless in front of them, now, and the only way Aang knew she was still at large was the small gulping movements she made beneath her jaw. Like she was holding back tears. She couldn't believe what she was hearing, much less the fact that Zhao had dared to say such things in front of a crowd of young people... as if she were a crumbling fossil, or bone.

"No," Zhao concluded to himself, with a smug look on his face as his arms stayed crossed. "No_, _I don't think I'll hold you accountable for this incident, either."

The young Earth-dweller felt he'd heard enough.

"But you _will _go along with anything this crazy princess decides to do, right?" Jet said through gritted teeth, bringing himself closer to Mai by a few footsteps as she weakened in color.

Zhao challenged that thought. "She is not crazy. She is the sole hope for the future of the Fire Nation. As long as you can _prove_ to me that anything she does goes against the mission of Praying Mantis High School, or against the personal safety of the students, I will take action. But until then, I have plenty enough paperwork to do."

A dozen eyes stared skeptically to their so-called loyal vice principal, while the respective airbenders could not help but remain silent in that dimness of the room. Zuko was the one who growled under his breath, as if speaking for the lot, and Suganya pursed her lips with uncertainty as she felt it course through her system. Katara stayed close to Aang's side, as if protecting him from an invisible flame, and Sokka crossed his arms like a guardian to the vulnerable Xai. Mai was the one who looked elsewhere, and Jet could almost feel the sad trembling of her breaths as she slowly tried to hide herself from the candlelight.

"Dismissed."

It was all that Zhao said to summon the silent crowd's footsteps, with a small, victorious grin on his face. He could practically taste the poison that was bound to leave the Fire Nation dominant for this young, future generation of people.

* * *

"Alright, who's calling dibs on Rion Jon? Somebody better break his arms, or I'm gonna _kill_ that son-of-a--."

"Xai," Suganya placed a grip on his arm before he hit it against the wall of their small conference room. "I know you're upset this happened to you– we all are – but we _have _to try and outsmart Azula without so much violence."

The young man placed a hand on the bandana that now wrapped the entirety of his scalp, refusing to look at his fellow airbender's eyes. To him... this was all beginning to look like a huge mistake. He should've never gone to that welcoming ceremony.

"You think I'm just gonna let that _fucker _try and mess with my brother again?" His eyes were flaming, almost giving Zuko's bright copper ones in the corner a run for their money.

"Hey buddy… not in front of the ladies, okay?" Jet brought himself out of the leaning position he had in the doorway to acknowledge Mai (and Katara, from a corner) as she sat silently with her arms crossed, looking at nothingness towards a window. "Besides, it was your choice to stay here, so why don't you deal with that, and quit whining."

"I'm not whining. I'm just a little _pissed,_" Xai crumpled a loose paper from one of the desks and tossed it to Zuko's direction. And the boy caught it without even lifting his head up. "You know any girls who're attracted to _bald heads_?"

It was like all of a sudden, everybody immediately noticed that Aang was in the room... and the boy just sat there with a struggling blush, staring at the ground. He didn't even notice the color that appeared in Katara's cheeks, just for a second before she spoke up.

"Okay, Xai. Let's try and be productive here. You and Suganya -- and Aang, of course -- are the only airbenders here, but anything you can say will help us prepare for the campaign. Now let's get started... Yue has a water-tennis match, so she couldn't come... but that's alright."

It was all being done in Mr. Pakku's math classroom, and Katara moved to the front to commence her usual presidential campaign meeting... after hearing the verdicts by Vice Principal Zhao over those _accidental _incidents in the forest. Sokka moved up at her side with an armfull of scroll-like paperwork being carried in his arms, and he tried to keep his stern face despite the weight of it all.

Mai kept her arms close, still looking out a window in an eerie trance. Jet kept his concerned eye on her, and it was like seconds were passing silently in her head -- she didn't blink. Through an unexpected urge, right before Katara was planning to speak again... Mai slowly got up from her chair, turned around towards the doorway, and left the classroom. Everyone turned their heads oddly to watch her leave, and all except Xai seemed to take a saddened expression as she did. Nobody said anything, but Zuko was about to turn and follow Mai out... he stopped, noticing how Jet was just about to do the same. The prince lingered harshly, only for a moment as he glanced over at Katara's worried... slightly sad gaze.

Zuko stared over at Jet just as he was about to head out the doorway, and the young Earth-dweller returned a very assuring smile. From what Aang could process, it must've meant "don't worry... I'll take care of her," but overall, the airbender was _glad_ that Katara wouldn't be distracted by Jet's presence in the meeting.

Right as Jet left the classroom to find Mai, a few surprising new faces had shown up... just as Zuko and Xai finally settled down to find a seat. As Aang turned his head, he realized it was Toph, rolling Teo through the doorway.

"Guys, you made it!" Katara beamed sweetly, running over to hug Teo from his wheelchair. The air seemed to return to normal on account of the meeting... and Aang noticed the musical, non-distracted change in Katara's voice.

Teo smiled generously, while Toph just shook her head in sarcastic dismay.

"Meh, I'm just sorry I missed that forest action on Friday." Aang didn't have to guess, but he knew Toph had turned her head sympathetically to her airbending friend's direction. "Anyone who messes with my teammates messes with _me._ So when's the next bending battle happening?"

Sokka tried to keep his scrolls from falling off his hands, trembling foolishly as the little girl stomped fiercely with her words.

"Well, hopefully," Katara was gathering her notes and her thoughts as she said this, "we won't _need _to face another bending battle. We have the _Avatar-in-Training_! He can set the best example as to _why _unity in this school is so important."

Aang quickly brought himself into a straight sitting position, trying hard not to remember all the things Monk Gyatso had said to him during that long night after the ceremony. He wanted to pretend that things would run their course smoothly, for once.

"Whatever happened in those woods is now in the past. Granted, not in the _distant_ _past,_" Sokka attempted trying not to see Xai's glance at him as threatening, "but we still need to move forward with the campaign, and see what we can do to spread _Unity._"

Suganya was the one who spoke up, then. "But Sokka, the airbenders; I mean, there's a reason to why Loung and Brei An haven't shown up to school all week."

Sokka brushed off Suganya's worried eyes with a head shake. _Of course, _Aang thought, _it was so easy to do that if your life hadn't been put into MORTAL DANGER…_

"She misled you," Sokka pronounced, "and at least now you know what she's capable of. We need to be more careful from now on. I got in touch with Lo and Li at the attendance office... Brei An's meeting with Mr. Iroh as we speak, and Loung is planning to come back tomorrow."

"That's not the point, Sokka!" Aang finally mustered the mood to _not _think about Jet sitting in the same room with Katara... and followed up on what Suganya was saying. "Azula attacked the airbenders, and she scared them because of _me._ She made them believe the Avatar was too dangerous to be trusted_. _How am I supposed to get the whole school to trust me, if _my own people_ are afraid of me?"

Katara choked in a half-breath before speaking, giving herself the leadership role at the front of the class once again.

"Okay... so now we have something to work on. Aang, since you're the future Avatar… it's going to be your responsibility to show the school how _wrong_ Azula is about you. That you can actually protect us with that power you have, and the abilities you can develop with the four elements. I suggest that we train you."

"Don't you think the teachers are better for that?" Sokka questioned at her side.

"No way!" Toph definitely had to speak up to this. "I've been teaching this little guy the _wonders _of Earthbending myself… and what did he do? He sunk that crazy princess into the ground. God, I'm so proud!"

She laughed, and Aang smiled over to her and Teo.

"I agree," the young airbender said to everyone, but especially to Sokka. Teachers wouldn't make the methods any less stressful. "I'd love it if you guys could help me. It'll be more fun!"

Zuko turned his dark eyes slowly to the boy, as if studying him in a light way. He tried not to show so much of the scarred side of his face. "It isn't the most pleasant element to learn, and I can't guarantee your safety… but I'll do whatever I can so you can hold your own against my sister."

Aang grinned hesitantly, although he wasn't sure if that had been more frightening than encouraging. It bugged him how Katara didn't seem at all concerned with the ominous look in the Fire Nation prince.

Toph's voice came in again from the boy's other side. "And you _know _I'm still the best Earthbending teacher you'll find anywhere. Bring it on, Princess Crazy." She stomped again in excitement, which made Sokka impulsively twitch in fear.

Katara smiled as the boy quickly turned his head to her. "And of course, I'll be honored to be your Waterbending teacher… but remind me to go easy on you."

"Sounds good to me!" Aang said excitedly, but he did not allow himself to rule out the other brave Airbenders and Non-Benders in the room as well. "Suganya, Xai… I think we can all help each other out in our airbending, too, right? And Teo… you're a _genius _with flying contraptions…maybe you could help me with that."

Everyone seemed utterly pleased with the results. Everyone, except Sokka.

"Uh, guys?" he said, agitated. "Boy Scout Survivor, Class Five? Two-time Regional Science Fair winner? Do you see him??"

"Oh yeah, Sokka," Katara then placed a comforting hand to her brother. "You're the most organized person I know. Maybe you should keep track of Aang's lesson plans for us!"

Sokka's blue eyes widened like honeydews in front of his calm sister, and his mouth was twitching again to say something. Of what? Aang couldn't tell… because he was too busy laughing from the look on the warrior's face.

Katara was just about to continue explaining her plans for community, when another small student walked into the room. Someone that Aang almost didn't recognize at first sight.

She was wearing a crimson and gold headband over her forehead, now, and her shoulder-length hair had been cut into a simple, more stylish bob at her jawline. On Ji was standing quietly at the doorway with a few notebooks over her arms like an old habit… looking as if her presence was ultimately setting a different, more mournful mood.

Her face was downcast, but still, she smiled to greet the room. She looked at Katara, acknowledging the leader of this meeting... and then she shifted, slowly meeting the eyes of everyone in the room. Even Zuko had managed to look up to greet her back, and nobody was close enough to see the hint of a joyful grin that came to the prince's face.

Aang was the only one who felt lost for words, as if forgetting how to breathe as he saw the reflection of a girl he used to know… still shy, awkward, but with a look that defied all the pretenses to it. On Ji looked over at Aang, and replaced her smile with the edge of a sad frown.

"Great to have you back On Ji," Katara commenced, but she noticed the empty look in the girl's eyes as she kept gazing sadly at the young airbender. "Um, Aang? Maybe you could give her the update on what's been going on… all the way to Zhao's meeting? We'll let you know everything we touched base on in here."

It was her way of asking two good friends to reconcile. She was particularly good at that sort of thing. And it didn't take long for the young boy to get up from his seat and escort his young friend out into the hallways for a talk.

* * *

"Hi," Aang tried to keep his eyes from peering to the scar underneath the girl's remaining bangs. Much to his surprise, On Ji did not look sad, or scared, even...and her eyes glanced back to Aang with a trace of resentment.

"You could've told me about the meeting with Zhao." Was her greeting back to him. She sounded like she was interrogating him, but with a sad muttering of words

"I was scared that Hide would show up. We're lucky, though; Zuko spoke against him -- about what he did to you -- and Zhao filed the suspension... but On Ji, you can't just pretend like he didn't attack you."

"I'm not _pretending_, Aang," her voice was calm but sharp, almost flustered... which was something practically foreign to the both of them. "But I don't have to be afraid of him, either. I'm an airbender, too, and I want to be here."

"It's different with you, On Ji."

"Why?" She challenged, bringing back certain sadness in her voice. "Because we're friends?"

"No! I mean... _yes, _but it's more than that." Aang took a deep breath and looked her straight in the eye, not caring that her glances at him were turning rigid. "On Ji, he already hurt you, and that stupid guy doesn't know any self-control... not even with his _bending_. He's gonna try and get to you again... and... and if I can help that at all, I want to protect you."

"What do you expect me to do, Aang?" The girl brought her head down, lifting one of her hands to rub an arm uncomfortably, her voice softening into a sad whisper. "You want me to leave?"

"Not forever. Just wait until the second-half of the year starts, when the elections are over. Tell your parents that… that you need more time to recover."

He said it so sincerely, like it was the easiest thing for her in the world, to move out of a school. It made On Ji's eyes glimmer with disbelief.

As he looked at the first airbending friend he'd ever made outside of the Southern Air Temple, Aang couldn't help but feel the unbearing sense of disappointment in her eyes. Yes, he knew she was upset... too upset to respond to him quickly... and it hurt the boy even more to think she couldn't set foot in school for _weeks._

Finally, after a short, uneven breath... On Ji did speak.

"I'm glad that you care about me, Aang, but I don't need this protection. Not as much as Katara."

Aang blinked, more in bewilderment than confusion, but On Ji's brown eyes lingered elsewhere as she explained herself. Her expression became more downcast, involuntarily.

"I know how much she means to you, Aang -- I've had to sit through it during every rehearsal," she could practically feel the boy's heart race between her words, "and this election is turning into something dangerous for her."

"On Ji..." it was so tempting, but he kept Katara away from his thoughts, in order to speak his mind clearly, "... she can take care of herself. She got in trouble by _attacking Azula _last year,remember?"

"Yes, and Zhao warned that if she ever confronts Azula again, she'll have _hell_ to pay. There's no persuasion with the vice principal, Aang... he's already _taken his side._"

Aang stared at the young, shy-yet-determined girl so incredulously. The way she transfixed her eyes reminded him of Toph... and he could feel that brutal honesty in her words, so much that he couldn't find the strength or the energy to speak against them.

"I'm not saying you should stop protecting the innocent, Aang... but you _have _to set your priorities straight." On Ji's eyes glimmered once more, to the boy, silently asking him to sacrifice the concern he had for a friend, in order to protect someone he loved. "Azula's attack on us was bad enough... but that's just part of her _game. _What she did to us might just be a _pawn _to whatever she has planned for Katara by the time elections are over.You'll need to be there for her."

A tear was forming as she, with all of her caution and awkward care, moved closer to wrap her arms around Aang. It was a gesture of gratitude, knowing that such a worrisome friend was a precious thing to have, regardless. The boy breathed within On Ji's embrace, still not sure he could handle On Ji's decision... but he hugged her back anyway.

"And would it _kill_ you to have a little bit of faith in me?" A familiar smile returned to the girl's face as she parted, quickly forming a mini-air-discuss in her hand to take Aang by surprise. "Don't forget that I was the one who rescued _you_ from those woods."

Aang, in spite of how he usually was, found it hard to smile back at her. "Fair enough. But... just _promise_ me you'll watch your back... please... I--"

"Deal," the little girl said simply, like the crisp air of summer that was fading away.

They needed to get out of the shade. It was clear by the look of each other's sad, almost mentally exhausted faces. And with all the gentlemanlike manner he could muster... Aang pushed On Ji out into the sun, laughing teasingly as the girl tried to pull him out to it as well.

It was strange trying to speak like old friends again, after a weekend of recovery that had seemed to pass longer than a month... but they found comfort in just talking about the _OmaShu _play. Aang was happy that he didn't have to hide his non-theatrical feelings over a certain girl anymore, and On Ji was more than enough sincerity in teasing him about it. And it took a few monologues from Aang's end, putting in nearly every detail about how Katara claimed his heart since the very beginning... but after a while... On Ji expressed her own confession.

How she was falling for Kuzon.

* * *

She didn't even bother to look at him, even though he stood there, facing her with his chocolate brown eyes. But her eyes were like glass, reflecting the rare silvery hint from many tears that were refusing to fall. All she wanted was to hear that stupid carriage pull up to the entrance of the school, to take her home… and take her to the quiet familiarity of her surroundings. Her art, her paintings… where nobody else could know about her scars that she hid beneath the layers and layers of dark fabric.

She wasn't supposed to be this weak. It was all she could think about… crossing her arms so as to not encourage anymore trembling from her arms and her throat. But she felt it. She couldn't help but feel it every time she blinked, seeing that same young man with the wispy brown hair not leaving from his place. She didn't owe him anything, now, yet within the racing of her blood it felt like she owed him _the world._

Her mouth trembled beneath that shade, still waiting in front of the entrance to hear that familiar sound of wooden wells along the pavement. Jet didn't say a word, except stare at her… as if asking for the mere presence of her and believing that was enough. Her arms were still crossed, and a bit of the wind slowly picked up along the elegant shoulder strands of her hair. And Jet responded to that… being so very careful to take a step closer, lifting a soft hand to brush away the flowing hair out of the girl's perfect face.

She was an angel, even in that mysterious catacomb of sadness she was digging herself into. Her arms trembled just by feeling the warmth of his clothing, and she remembered how she eventually needed to breath.

It came as a sniffle, but she still refused to look at him. She hated it. All this gentleness from a boy who'd practically heard every little pitiful detail of a pathetic teenage girl. Of someone who despised her own skin, and who longed to be recognized by the people she was supposed to adore. Someone who ridiculously believed that _there was at least a fragment of trust in that friendship she'd made with that horrible princess._

The words of Zhao replayed themselves in her head like fastidious moths fluttering within patches of light. Azula had twisted everything… most of it… to the outrageous extent that it all seemed plausible. It all seemed, _real._ Pitiful. Something that came from the lonely obituaries of people who didn't know how else to express their feelings to the world. And to think… she may have broken _through. _Pitiful. She was a case of the worst kind, and it was a waste of the boy's gentleness to look at her. Still.

And the girl's eyes found the familiar Oak Tree in the distance, with another sniffling sound. Her eyes were frozen in that glass color, disregarding the heaviness that those tears were creating for her. Jet still said nothing, but the warmth and the gentleness of his presence were crumbling her. She deserved that humiliation over her being, but she didn't deserve this, and it haunted her now. Nothing seemed to make sense anymore.

Slowly, he brought the same gentle hand to her chin, feeling the trembling of her whole body just as he held it. She still looked away, keeping her focus on the distant oak tree and her mind on the wind that played with her hair. All she could hear were the inconstant sniffles of her breaths, and the heaviness of her eyes that were _pleading _for her to blink.

And carefully, the boy moved his hand to lift her chin barely a centimeter from where it was… not taking his eyes away as she finally moved in response… returning her glass eyes to him. Another sniffle came, and under the gentlest touch of the Earth-dweller, Mai finally blinked… letting the tears pour the heaviness out of her mind… and bringing her mind into the comforting arms of a boy who had stayed true to a promise. A boy who just held her, and didn't ask questions.

Who, for right now, adored the very scent that seeped through her skin, believing he didn't deserve such peacefulness.

And there would always be room for questions later.

* * *

They'd encircled the entire Praying Mantis High School campus by the time Aang proposed they sit on the ledge of the school's beautiful fountain in the courtyard. On Ji smiled and agreed, feeling that her small feet could do with a moment's rest. She noticed how the few students surrounding them peered to see Aang's bald, exposed scalp that bared the blue tattoo... and she held onto that pride as much as Aang did... not caring about how the others grimaced from it.

By the time they'd settled on the fountain, the boy had another thought lingering in his mind, and wondered if this was the best time to approach it. Seeing On Ji sit next to him so warmly... like her usual self, again... Aang knew it would be the best moment to bring back the welcoming ceremony from Azula.

"How did you find me in the woods?"

Aang's voice remained quiet and careful as he looked over for the girl to answer.

It wasn't that difficult for On Ji to look him in the eyes anymore... like they'd gone through the depths of Hell side by side. Nevertheless, the girl took a breath before letting her thoughts pour into words, keeping her voice just as quiet.

"I was stuck in _OmaShu _rehearsal, remember? You made Haru look after me like a child, and I couldn't think straight... I wasso _angry_ that you forced me to stay there." On Ji's light brown eyes gave an edge of sharpness, which was remarkably seen before. "All I could think about was you... and what Azula must've been planning... and then, I just... _heard_ you."

On Ji stared at him then, quietly and sadly, beginning to pick at the bits of grass that folded beneath her sitting position. She was gathering her memories from that day a bit more.

Aang kept looking over at her, trying to see past the small headband that now overtook her forehead, and waiting for On Ji to finish her description. In his mind, he already knew what she was going to say... but he had to hear it out loud.

"It was like you were calling for help in my _mind_." On Ji kept her focus on the boy incredulously. "And it's strange, because I didn't recognize your voice. It was someone older... something _stronger_ that told me to go into the forest_. _And I just... somehow _I knew_ it was you."

Aang's silver eyes glistened, blinking after what seemed minutes.

"The Avatar spirit..." the boy concluded under his breath, feeling like a hundred tiny butterflies had flown through his stomach. "I must've been in the Avatar State when you heard me."

"Was _that _what happened to you?" On Ji looked at him unfathomably, frightened in a way that echoed the airbenders' first reaction to those glowing arrows. "Your voice was so different... like it was possessed by some monster..."

"No, it was my past lives, On Ji." Aang looked at her, reassuring that he never meant any harm. "They were showing themselves _through me _when I became helpless, and so worked up over what Azula was doing in the forest."

The girl just stared back at him, too bewildered to say anything else in response. On Ji just let her head fall towards the ground beneath her feet, trying to let those coincidental circumstances sink in. What if... instead... she had just _accepted_ Aang's choice to stay in rehearsal? What if she hadn't gotten so angry, or flustered about it?

_What could've happened to the airbenders in that forest, if she hadn't heard anything?_

Suddenly, she felt a small tear course down to the corner of her small mouth, which trembled by the countless "what if"s that had taken over her system. Aang was about to hug her in reassuring comfort, but another quick thought made his silver eyes almost pop.

"On Ji, when you were in the Western Air Temple, did they ever teach you about... Listening?"

The girl blinked, raising both eyebrows as if he'd just asked if the grass was green.

"I'm serious!" Aang sat himself more upright. "Okay... so Earthbenders, right? They're always in tune with the ground. If they concentrate hard enough, I'm sure they can feel all kinds of Earth, like in metal... and glass!"

"Oh, um... okay..." On Ji just went along with it, seeing Aang's eyes widen with such fascination and intensity.

"And Waterbenders," The boy continued, unaware that his body was leaning over towards On Ji with all of his theatrics. "...they can sense all forms of water anywhere, and learn to manipulate it! It's how they control the water in our bodies, to help us heal. And Firebenders, they summon the energy from their bodies to... to--"

"... to create fire?" On Ji attempted, hoping to make sense of where this was all going.

"Not just fire... _lightning!_" The intensity of Aang's eyes was practically irrevocable, as On Ji kept staring at him carefully. "Remember Azula, in the forest? Somehow, she knows how to summon a _greater_ amountof energy, and I'll bet you anything she's trying to become stronger..."

"Aang... where were you going with this?" the girl could note his young face already flushing with too many thoughts and worries. He breathed a little, too carried away from his explanation, and finally went into his original thought.

"Well, the monks told me about Listening... how in Airbending, there's the space that we can see and control... but there's also _another _kind ofspace. It holds everything we _feel_, like... like _when we taste a sour sea prune, _or _when Mr. Pakku gives us a Pop Quiz, _or _when we wake up after a bad dream._"

"Oh... this _other _space carries our thoughts? Our feelings?"

"Yeah. Airbenders are the most clear-minded people in the world, and according to the Monks... a we can train ourselves to be incredible Listeners. On Ji... we have the power _feel _someone else's thoughts... to know and understand _deep down _what they're going through."

"I... I can do that?"

"Yeah! You already tried it, by accident. That's how you were able to hear me in the woods... or maybe it's because my powerful Avatar State couldn't shut up. Either way... it worked!"

Aang smiled a little, doing what he could to sound amusing, but On Ji looked surprisingly distraught than what he'd expected. His mouth closed, concerned, and he waited for her soft voice to speak up.

"So, if you're saying that airbenders can hear other people's minds... their space... doesn't that mean we can _control _them, too?"

The boy raised a brow, and laughed in remark, seeing the startled look in On Ji's face as she waited for the answer. Was there such power available to the most peaceful, nomadic culture in the world? _Only in folklore._

"I'm pretty sure the Spirit World was smart enough to not give _anyone _that burden, On Ji... not even the all-bending Avatar."

The girl couldn't help but blush with a slight relief at that, and Aang placed a firm hand on his shoulder.

"But as airbenders, it's our responsibility to _feel _that other delicate space, and _respond _to it. I once met an air nomad near the Eastern Air Temple… and I _swear _he said he could Listen to Appa!"

On Ji laughed at the idea of it, but gave a faint smile to her friend, believing that this new piece of information could do wonders for the days ahead. She then pondered something else. "So... if all airbenders carry this ability... what about you, as the Avatar? Does that make you the most powerful Listener?"

Aang parted his mouth to speak, but as he did so, something occurred to him, which made him think his words over. It was a small part of the conversation Gyatso had endured with that young boy, that dark night after the dreadful ceremony. Aang took a small breath and tried to recite to On Ji that blessing and burden he was eventually going to face.

"The Avatar… is capable of being the most powerful bender in the world, On Ji. Not only can he train to become a master Listener, but the spirit of the Avatar can summon enough energy to help him Listen to anything…like animals, plants, rocks... and he can _even feel_ what they've been through."

He shifted his eyes a little, turning his head to look into the water in the fountain. It was something that hung in the very dark, untouched corners of his mind… thinking about what it must've been like, for Roku… to discover why Fire Lord Sozin had betrayed him. _Did he ever Listen to Sozin as he made that full confession out of torture? _Aang thought. _Would he have been able to grasp the reasoning behind Sozin's attempt to expand the Fire Nation?_

As strange as it occurred to him, Aang could only think about Azula, then… the descendant of that madness. Aang wondered deeply, staring at his moving reflection with On Ji right next to him… if he could ever Listen to the depths of that young girl's determination, and unquestionable resistance to pain.

* * *

**A/N: yay, I'm back! So I discovered BLEACH, but finally managed to put the books down and continue writing. I wasn't planning to incorporate the Listening factor, originally, but now that I think about it... it works perfectly for the end. (Haha, yes, I DO have the ending planned out. And it's glorious!) Plus, I think it was fair for Airbenders to have an extra-special bending technique like all the other elements. Sweetness!**** --MM**


	23. Cultural Thing

"Now class... who can recite for me the seven vectors of Psycho-Social development?"

Ms. Wu's young teaching assistant visited her Cultural Enrichment class every Friday, and while Aang tried to take this woman seriously... he couldn't believe this "Miss Joo Dee" could actually speak in that sugary voice on a regular basis. She was lovely, which brought some twelve-year-olds her attention... but having the entire classroom sit on the oriental rug like a bunch of kindergartners certainly made students snicker under their breath.

Toph was one of them, and Ms. Wu quickly nominated her to answer Miss Joo Dee's question.

"Oh, crap. Um..." the little Earthbender flinched and looked up to Miss Joo Dee's direction. "I know one of them is Establishing Identity, or... or was it Integrity?"

Miss Joo Dee sighed almost too melodramatically. "No, dear. I'm sorry, I'm afraid that's not good enough for full credit. If you want to answer the question correctly, you should say _the First Vector is so-and-so, the Second Vector is this-and-that. _You understand?"

Toph raised a brow and just scoffed at the woman's delicate voice. "Yeah, lady. But I don't think the other four-year-olds in the room got it. Maybe you should repeat it again."

"Toph!" Ms. Wu summoned assertively, seeing the young teacher blush red. "You know better than addressing our guests improperly. As a Bei Fong, it is your _duty _to set a good example for your Year-of-the-Rat classmates."

The little Earthbender nodded, but groaned under her messy bangs and just kept picking the dirt between her toes. Aang smiled just small enough for On Ji to notice. He hoped the airbenders could learn from a headstrong little girl like that.

It had been almost two weeks since the Azula's major ceremony in the woods, and Aang had done all he could to try and regain the airbenders' trust. That he wasn't the terrible, dangerous-looking Avatar-in-Training. No matter which class he was in, On Ji seemed to be the only one remaining at his side, pretending that those looks of sympathy from the other students weren't happening. What kept him going throughout the day… as much as Toph or On Ji would tease him about it… was the musical laughter of a girl that Aang had the privilege of seeing twice a week for Waterbending practice.

His heart was beating rapidly, counting down the minutes before class ended. All he could think about was the lovely eyes of Katara meeting him near the water-tennis court for practice that afternoon.

"Would anyone else like to try?" Miss Joo Dee kept smiling her wide smile, as if she'd never seen a commotion in her life. None of the kids looked up this time, so she gestured over the young airbender with the bald head. "Aang... let's see if you remember!"

"What?" He'd been reminiscing about Katara's water-whip from their last practice, he couldn't even remember what the question was! Desperate, he turned over to On Ji, who gestured a 'seven' with her fingers at him. "Oh!... uh, the first one is being Competent, the second one is Managing... managing Stress, the third one is... being Independent?... the fourth one is Relationships, the _fifth one _is Establishing Identity. And... um, I can't remember the others..."

On Ji raised her hand promptly. "The sixth one is Developing Purpose, and the seventh one is Intelligence... right?"

Miss Joo Dee gave a half-hearted smile at both of them, but shook her head in dismay. A few of the students began to snicker again. "I'm sorry, dears, but you were so close. The second one is actually Being _Inter_dependent, and the seventh one developing Integrity."

The young teaching assistant sighed, as if establishing these two kids were doomed to be failures for the rest of their lives.

"Dumb airbenders," snickered one of the kids from the back, and Toph furrowed her brows angrily, immediately pounding the ground to send a tremor over to the kid. An unexplainable 'ow!' then followed, and Miss Joo Dee flinched with discomfort.

"Did… did somebody just Earthbend in the classroom?" The young teaching assistant started playing with her hair nervously, glancing over to Ms. Wu for guidance.

"I got a better question," Toph retorted, flicking a piece of dirt from her toenail. "How about you tell us why we need to _know _this stuff?"

"B–because it's educational psychology!" Miss Joo Dee said defensively, still fumbling with her hair to keep from shaking nervously. "It will help you understand the mental and psychological phases you are going through as individuals."

"Well what the hell does that have to do with Cultural Enrichment?" Toph challenged her, not even lifting her head to acknowledge the woman's authority. Ms. Wu seemed utterly insulted by such a comment, feeling like the question was aimed at her. "This class is a joke... where's the Culture? All we do is talk about stuff that normal people wouldn't say out loud: '_I'm a Year-of-the-Rat, and it's raining. Therefore, I should write to my grandmother and bake dumplings_.'"

Ms. Wu shook her head furiously, which somehow made the young teacher take a new breath of confidence before she spoke.

"Cultural Enrichment means that you learn to appreciate parts of everyday culture... what it means to be a human being." Miss Joo Dee was trying so hard to sound professional, in a begging sort of way. "I believe you're confusing yourself with Geographical Culture, dear."

"Wait, I know," Toph wasn't going to give up her argument, and Aang wasn't sure if he should be supportive or nervous now. Her voice was becoming more and more sarcastic to the poor young teaching assistant. "How about we learn stuff about the damn nobles of the Earth Kingdom? I have tons of Bei Fong artifacts at home. Maybe I can bring one for _Show n' Tell_!"

"That is enough from you, Toph," came Ms. Wu's utterly disappointed and stern voice. "You know it is against Praying Mantis's classroom mission to bring up cultural heritage in a personal context; all students in this school are considered equals, and we don't judge them based on their Nation or background. Please go visit Mr. Iroh's office."

Aang raised an eyebrow at Ms. Wu, and then looked over to his friend Toph - who looked surprisingly indifferent about it.

"My pleasure," she muttered under her breath.

On Ji and Aang exchanged glances with each other for just a moment, realizing they felt the same way. Something about this school's philosophy needed to change. _What the hell was Principal Roku doing?_

* * *

Things seemed to go from bad to worse along the corridors of the school, as Loung did all he could to get from one class to the next without every other student asking him if he was alright. Sokka felt bad for the kid, watching Loung's eyes shift in all directions like a radar... hoping to find Brei An or Suganya or anyone from their group to prevent dealing with this madness alone.

Sokka sighed harshly as he made it to his locker, and at the corner of his eye, he saw Suki approaching him in her Kyoshi makeup.

He managed to say "Hey, Suki" as he opened the locker.

She didn't say anything back to him, but her green eyes stared at him blandly, pursing her lips as if to keep from saying something obscene. Sokka arched an eyebrow at the way she was breathing, but he just kept talking, gathering some books out of his locker.

"I'm sorry I couldn't see you at lunch yesterday – I told you it was gonna get crazy. Azula's bashing on the Water Tribes now... and I gotta keep an eye on Katara in case she tries to do something stupid. This presidential campaign is getting way too out of--"

Sokka couldn't even finish his sentence. Her hand spiked across his cheek too quickly.

Everyone around them turned heads, watching Suki's delicate Kyoshi makeup suddenly stream artistically with tears. It took a few seconds for Sokka to regain composure, caressing his cheek and turning his widened blue eyes towards Suki and her unexplained breaking point.

His whole world had slowed down, then. Sokka'd never seen her so distraught, and the thought of approaching Suki seemed terrifying.

"W... What was that for??" Sokka attempted nervously, trying to tune out the whispering students that surrounded them in that locker-room.

Before he even noticed it in her hand, Suki crumpled a piece of paper and tossed it violently to his face. The paper hadn't even touched the ground before Suki turned on her heel to scamper off... the small sobs in her voice trailing along with her.

Students turned their heads like dominoes watching Suki's form disappear along the hallway, but Sokka's eyes remained on the crumpled paper. Carefully, feeling like his entire body had just been bruised, he un-crumpled the piece of paper... and read the small _kanji _content within.

_Dear Sukz, _

_This campaign is getting really out of hand_, _and I wish it could be the only excuse for my attitude lately, but... I just don't think it's working out between us. _

_I'm in love with Princess Yue. The truth is... I've been in love with her for two years, and you've no idea how painful it's been for me to put you in the middle of all of this. _

_We both know that I'm a proud Water Tribesman, and now that Azula's threatening our Nation, I have to protect the people I love most. Katara needs my help, and Princess Yue means everything to me, so please don't take this the wrong way... it's a cultural thing. For once, I need to know if she feels the same way about me._

_Don't hate me, Suki. I hope we can still be friends after this whole campaign thing is over. _

_See you at rehearsal,_

_Sokka_

The boy almost forgot he had blood running through his legs, trying to keep himself from falling to the floor as he stared at the handwriting in the letter. It wasn't his -- that was certain – but the generic Chinese _kanji_ made it impossible to decipher who'd done such a horrible thing.

But two things were painfully clear to Sokka:

Azula was dangerously clever. She may have not written the letter itself, but she had a source - someone who knew anything and _everything_ about the students in the school. It was almost sickening, the way she was trying to make Suki (and perhaps others) hate the Water Tribes... believing that his sister's mission for Unity would ultimately separate the cultures more.

And the other?

Sokka crumpled the paper violently to get the heaviness out of his stomach. This letter wasn't fair... it wasn't going to make things any easier... and the boy launched the ridiculous, twisted letter towards the wall.

_He should've brought Princess Yue up much earlier in the game._

* * *

"How's the wrist holding up, Sharpy?"

Jet could notice her even from a small distance as he and the Oak Tree clan were taking a break from their dance routine. Mai was briefly massaging her painter's muscles, with the same cloth bandaged around it from that unexpected "crashing" of Azula's airbending ceremony. They hadn't said a word to each other after Katara's campaign meeting… but Jet remembered the warmth of Mai's arms so well. And it surprised him, the way she was so stern, looking at him as if that episode of tears had not happened at all.

"It's alright." Mai spoke up indifferently, but felt her heartbeats quicken. She was upset that she couldn't hold a paintbrush so gracefully as usual. Not for another week, at least. Still... she sat in front of her canvas near the forest like a habit, wondering what her next subject would be. "Her highness hasn't put up a fight with me since then."

"That's good to hear," Jet smiled, stretching his calve muscles. "But she gave me a hell of a glare in Geometry today. She do that to you, too?"

"No," Mai said simply, keeping her form steady as she sat in front of her easel, looking over at her paintbrushes. "Your squats are too slow in transition, just so you know."

Mai said this out of her critical eye... and Smellerbee blinked through her thick eyeshadow while wiping her face with a towel. The scrawny girl was just about to retort, but Jet turned to his friend in an assuring look, silently saying that he could handle this alone.

"Thanks," Jet replied to her meekly. "And how long were you watching us, exactly?"

Mai sighed, shaking her head at the boy's teasing attempt. "About ten minutes."

"And did you enjoy it?" Jet couldn't help but smirk and keep going. "You should've said something, and not make me look like an idiot. How about you _show_ me what it is I'm doing wrong?"

Smellerbee scoffed, crossing her arms silently, while Longshot couldn't help but chuckle. By the way this conversation was going, the young archer thought it was best to leave them alone... and he slowly placed a hand on Smellerbee's shoulder, gesturing for them to take a water break inside the school. Pipsqueak soon got the hint as well, and got up from the ground to follow suit.

"I'm not a dancer; I just notice things in detail." Mai lashed at Jet in her husky voice, but the boy just laughed, already sensing his friends leave the Oak Tree behind him.

"You're impossible, you know that?" Jet placed his hands on his hips in a mockingly disappointed gesture. "I'll bet you've never even tried to hold a rhythmic foot in your life_._"

"I've been to enough dances to know I don't like them."

Mai began to pack her art supplies up, half-heartedly, in order to give herself something to do.

"School dances?" Jet wondered out loud, as he couldn't remember seeing Mai face in any school social function from last year. Not even at the Year-End ceremony.

"More like royal banquets," the girl replied flatly "in the Fire Nation palace."

"Ah, the formal stuff, huh?" Jet made a rather exaggerated bow at the waist, keeping his heel rather professionally balanced. It made the girl's face suddenly fill with a slight pink color. "Can't say I would know much of that."

"Yeah, I know," came her reply, keen and honest and indifferent.

"Oh, I see how it is..." Jet found his opportunity to tease. "You're judging me now."

"_What?_" It was unbelievable, how a simple tease of words took Mai so aback with guilt. Her nerves were practically going haywire beneath her skin. "I was just agreeing with the fact that, that you... don't_ see _much of..."

Jet could only watch, amused, fighting hard not to snicker. _If only you knew, Sharpy..._ he thought_... what power you have over me._

Her fidgeting for words were nearly driving him insane, and Jet decided to save her humiliation with another disappointed shake of his head. "Listen, can I ask you a favor?"

Mai looked back at him with an intake of breath, those chocolate brown eyes suddenly glimmering to her by the sun. The fact that she didn't say anything else, how she waited for him to speak further... was enough proof to Jet that her feelings were at a crossroads. He smiled gracefully, and extended a hand to the distant girl.

"Show me how to dance like the rich kids."

And she raised a brow of absolute disbelief at him, for what seemed forever. Then, a sound came from her. A glorious sound. It was like her husky voice had thought about chuckling or laughing, and Mai wasn't able to choose. She closed her eyes briefly, covering her mouth for the habit of good manners... and as she brought herself back at the boy again, her laughing stopped.

"Alright. _Enough._"

Mai slowly lifted herself up from her easel, taking a breath as she approached the obtrusive boy near the Oak Tree to give him a piece of her mind. Or show him, rather. Her face was almost expressionless, except for the small grin that formed at the moment she met his eyes, and Jet couldn't help but cross his arms with anticipation.

Without asking him, she took both of his hands away from his frame professionally... her gentle fingers taking Jet by surprise. The way she extended their arms initiated the stance of a formal dance, and Mai nervously looked away, wondering how close she should make them be.

"I don't remember all the steps of the _Kyrad_, but it's a ballroom dance of the Fire Nation."

Jet smiled, and Mai tried to ignore those tiny moths suddenly fluttering into existence in her stomach. Her gaze briefly went back to her painting easel, wondering why the hell she decided to put up with this humiliation instead. _This is stupid, _she thought_. He's... he's just a boy._

The boy kept his eyes locked in her lovely face, as she turned back to look at him sternly and made the first prominent step to the _Kyrad _waltz. Jet followed like a mirror, without any hesitation.

It was all strange for Mai... as if reliving a childhood dream in the ballrooms of the Fire Nation royal palace, watching her own parents dance among the many lovely couples. She had been a spectator at that age, sitting quietly next to Zuko as she watched their mothers' enchanting gowns take heed of the marble ground like a silk napkin floating in thin air. But the nervous moths overtaking Mai's system were keeping her eyes to her footsteps, and the girl did not feel like a floating napkin at all. Her grip to Jet's hands was almost cutting the boy's circulation.

She refused to let her eyes leave the ground. Their steps were very basic and slow, but Jet managed to pick up the rhythm a little faster.

He shook Mai's tightened grip to get her attention away from the ground.

"Mai... look at me."

The way he said her name sent a chill down her spine, and she closed her eyes. He wasn't going to have that power over her. "I'm concentrating."

"Please?"

He sounded so encouraging, so sure of himself, Mai was almost losing the rhythm to her steps. And Jet decided to make an impromptu turn on her with an arm, and it took the girl by immediate surprise... letting go of the boy's grasp.

That was when she met his eyes, squarely. With bite.

"What is this, Jet?"

She was _sick_ of playing this little game, and the boy just looked at her, stunned by the harsh simplicity of her voice.

"Is this some sort of twisted experiment? Trying to help the mysterious pity case out of her shell?" Mai bit her lip to restrain the anger brewing in her voice. "Or is this a self-fulfilling _prophecy _for you... proving that you can get any... _any _girl you want...?"

The young Earthdweller held his breath, his eyes glimmering slightly from the unexpected memories that distilled his mind. Her tone was hurtful, and Jet did not know whether to be more frightened or fascinated by that change. The boy let his hands drop to his sides, surrendering his pursuit for the time being, and just let soft brown eyes lock with the copper ones he adored.

"What else do you want from me?" she declared, her voice shaking. "What do I owe you?"

"Mai, you don't owe me a thing." Jet said assertively, making the girl's mouth close tightly. In a soft voice, the boy continued to speak his mind. "Look, I understand why you would _think _I'd do something to hurt you, but... but it's not like that anymore."

"Really?" she questioned. Mai didn't blink once, and in her mind, she must've looked like such an idiot to him._ As if she didn't know a thing about this boy's past._

"Earth Kingdom's honor," and the boy placed a fist over his heart as a respectful salute, which to Mai looked incredibly familiar. Jet took another small breath, as if trying to rid himself of a small rock that was lodged in his throat, and he spoke once again.

"Can I ask you to do just two things for me? I _swear _I won't bother you anymore."

Mai's eyes rose, almost mesmerized by the fact that Jet had brought up more favors at this point. She just stared at him, silently telling him to continue. It was something about the way her eyes just fixed themselves onto him... glimmering from the sun... that gave Jet a rush of confidence, and a grin.

"One. Please don't go all judgmental and leave with the second thing I ask."

Her lips pursed, almost immediately regretting this stupid little game.

"And two... you ready for this one?"

She blinked. "Yes."

"Because it's good... I'm just warning you."

"Yes!"

"I'm serious. It's something I've been wanting to ask you for a long--"

"_Oh, will you PLEASE just say it!"_

Jet widened his grin.

"Will you join me at the White Lotus for some chicken and dumplings this Friday night?"

Her head just feel slightly back, amazed at the overwhelming sum of those words and taking a long second to respond. "White Lotus? You mean the orphanage?"

"Hey, don't be judgmental," Jet reminded her wryly, but Mai narrowed her eyes in disbelief. "And you won't have to see me again after this. Hell, I'll even _switch schools_ if that makes you happy... but just give me Friday night."

She looked elsewhere, her nerves shaking from the young boy staring hopefully at her. This didn't sound as awful or intense as going through a foggy swamp with adventure-prone children, or leaping along branches of tall Redwood trees in the forest. And the boy did say, he wasn't going to bother her anymore afterwards.

"Okay."

And Jet smiled instantly, like a ton of weight had just fallen from his shoulders. "Okay! So just meet me at the White Lotus on Friday after school, and we'll head on over to the marketplace."

"Marketplace?"

"Well, yeah... we're cooking for almost forty kids. We'll need a _ton_ of chicken and dumplings."

He smiled again, and Mai just glared at him, dumbfounded, having absolutely no idea what she'd just agreed upon. Didn't he realize that she'd never picked up a wooden spoon or a raw vegetable in her _life?_

"I know the Duke'll be happy to see you." Jet dared to speak again to the patronized, pale girl in front of him. "It'll be fun. Trust me."

There wasn't anything else to be said in that moment, but Jet just watched Mai stare at him condescendingly, as if wondering what the hell Friday night would have in store for her. Or maybe, Jet thought... she was debating if this outing -- a cooking night for an entire orphanage full of kids -- qualified as a date? Just the_ idea _of that in her head was enough to make Jet chuckle.

He was so nervous, too.

The way her copper eyes thinned into a skeptical, yet amused form gave Jet such a desire to approach and embrace her right there... but he didn't. He knew it would make things much more awkward than they needed to be. So he just smiled, as if assuring to Mai that she wouldn't regret this decision, and he said "see you in Geometry!" like their recent talk had already faded into the past.

And Mai couldn't understand... even as the boy turned on his way to go... why her heart was suddenly beating so fast.

* * *

He punched the air in front of him eagerly, gritting his teeth like a habit as he set the fresh fireball off into a straight line. As he brought himself back to gym floor, he crouched like a graceful tiger-monkey… putting all of his strength into his knuckles as they held the rest of his body above ground. He gazed at the only source of light, however, watching the fireball trail off into opposite wall of the martial arts arena, until it faded and the darkness consumed the place.

This was his sanctuary… where his conscience did not feel questioned or threatened by others, and the voices of judgment seemed miles and miles away. Sometimes, Zuko wondered why he enjoyed practicing _Shaolin_ in that vast arena with the lights out. Perhaps it was due to the intensity of the darkness… how it motivated him to Firebend even stronger for the anticipation of light, and the intricate beauty that its patterns made in the air.

He leapt off the ground, making a full-body turn in the air and releasing a spiral of fire from his two feet before landing again. Watching the twisted ladder of light go off into the distance, Zuko smiled… and mentally calculated how long it would take for Aang to master the movement.

But then, the lights flickered on.

"Quite the pathetic big brother you've turned out to be, going out on a limb to help that waterbending trash..."

Zuko grimaced, blinking in the new source of light, and the figure that waltzed in along with it.

"Get out of here, Azula," his raspy voice demanded, straining to stay focused on his _Shaolin._

"She's going to break your heart, you know," Azula kept approaching him, and he just frowned at her defensively.

"It's not like that."

Azula laughed, sweetly and dangerously. "She inspires you so much, doesn't she? With all of her courage and good wisdom. That whore."

Zuko narrowed his eyes to his sister, with steam practically exhaling through his nostrils, now.

"Azula, I swear... if you do anything to her, I'll..."

The princess smiled warmly, sinisterly. She had him just where she wanted him.

"What, tell mom about it?" She shook her head, almost entertained by the enraged look her brother was slowly building up to. "You know... by helping her, you're turning your back on your own family. _Your culture_."

"You're wasting your time." Zuko finally got up to be at level with the sister who faced him just yards away. "That's not gonna work on me anymore."

"Look at yourself, brother, breathing like a worn little animal. The _Shaolin _competition is in a month, and your moves are not what they used to be." Azula smiled that same, degrading little smile. "You're losing grip, dear Zuzu. You're turning into one of _them._"

"SHUT UP!" Zuko punched a fireball at her, and Azula dodged it gracefully.

Two more figures came in from the north entrance, firing their own attacks on the young prince under the dark clothing that covered their bodies and mouths. As Azula tried to regain herself, her henchmen went towards her brother from both sides, sprinting in their movements. One of them even managed to punch Zuko in the stomach with his feet, and the prince caved in.

His mind went blank for a second as he shut his eyes in pain… feeling his arms get restrained by others, and being forced to kneel to the ground. When his eyes opened, he found his sister facing him just a few feet away. A familiar blue flame had suddenly taken life in her hand.

"Maybe I should scar the other side. You know... for good measure?" She suggested to Zuko in her velvety voice as she approached him, and his mouth gaped. "At least this time it'll _look _like an accident."

But Zuko launched a fiery attack on his sister with his leg, taking her aback. In an acrobatic maneuver he pushed himself out of the two henchmen's restraint by his endurant arms, summoning two fireballs at them with his fists.

"Chan... Rion Jon... you're making a big mistake helping her."

"Zuko, I think the only mistake is you not voting _for your own sister,_" Rion Jon replied.

Promptly, the two of them lit small flames at the palm of their hands, but Azula's flames got larger and larger as she approached her brother again. From what the young Prince noticed, it was like the flames were crawling up her arms without harming her... all the way to her elbows.

His eyes widened in fear. Not for himself, but for the girl who was suddenly training her body be more resistant to flames. This wasn't part of the _Shaolin_ philosophy at all. It was madness.

"Azula...?" he said nervously.

"No one can be a stronger leader than me, Zuzu. Even you should accept that."

"Azula, I..." Zuko held a hand shakingly up to her, as if pleading for a truce.

But the young woman launched an overwhelming amount of blue flames to her brother's side, and Zuko somersaulted himself away from it, terrified. By the time he rolled back to see his sister... a surprising whip of water appeared from the corner of the room, putting out one of Azula's arms.

She growled, and Roin Jon and Chan immediately ran to her side as Katara and Princess Yue ran out into the middle of the arena.

"You _stupid girl_..." Azula grimaced, looking only at Katara for the time being. "I could report you for this."

Katara frowned, still keeping her eyes on Azula as she slowly approached Zuko on the ground. "You're right, but the thing is... I didn't attack you."

Yue then crossed her arms in assurance, giving a daring smile over the Fire Nation princess.

Azula shut her lips tightly when she looked at Yue, letting the flames in her arms fade away. As she watched Katara help her brother to a standing position, the furiousness in her copper eyes also seemed to disappear. Her voice became sweet again, speaking to Katara.

"So I suppose you're training all the water-peasants to fight for you now? How noble of them."

Katara scoffed and looked at the princess sternly.

"I'd gladly take you down _myself,_ Azula, but since that will probably get me expelled... I guess I'll bide my time here and _piss you off._"

Zuko couldn't help but smile at his friend's bold remark. Yue then walked up to speak for her own behalf.

"Scaring the innocent isn't going to help you win the election, Highness. And you can threaten the Water Tribes as much as you want. We will be ready."

Rion Jon and Chan grit their teeth as they stayed next to their princess, but Azula just let those words sink in... as if taking into the account the determination and hope of these peasants. She had to find ways to get rid of their pathetic sense of hope.

Slowly, she gestured her henchmen to start walking away, and with one final assuring glare towards Katara, and Zuko... the young Fire Nation princess made her exit in peace.

It was then that Katara exhaled in breath, as if she'd been holding it for minutes by the presence of Azula. She glanced over to Zuko again, immediately embracing him, and the prince returned her hug with one arm.

"Are you okay?" she asked, still hugging him tightly with comfort.

"I'm fine," Zuko rasped in assurance. "But she's getting stronger."

"What do you mean?" Yue's voice became its usual delicate tone.

The boy took a breath, doing what he could to explain thoroughly the power that his sister was trying to succumb to. It was the darkness of Firebending... when people believed they could control all the energy in their body, not realizing they were being _consumed_ and weakened by it. Azula wasn't an idiot, though... and Zuko knew she'd go to extreme lengths to show the school how powerful of a leader she could be.

"I guess we'll need to watch out for her more, won't we? And Aang, too..." the young presidential candidate claimed, but with a hint of tiredness to her system. Zuko could see it her concerned blue gaze... she didn't know when she would be able to rest peacefully again.

Then he remembered something. "Weren't you supposed to be training Aang today?"

Katara's eyes immediately widened like saucers. "_Shoot!_"

Yue giggled as she watched her friend scamper out of the room, but as she turned back to acknowledge Zuko... her smile faded. All of a sudden she felt nervous goosebumps form onto her skin, being alone with this mysterious dark boy. With the scar on his face.

Zuko couldn't feel more uncomfortable, either.

"Oh, um... I should go talk to Coach Hama before she leaves for the day," she said quickly, waving a nervous goodbye and following Katara's paces from out the door.

After waving back, Zuko sighed, realizing that he was alone in that room once again. Carefully, he placed a hand to the burned skin on his face, closing his eyes... pretending that it wasn't so big as to not be noticed by others.

_Some things would probably never change at this school._

* * *

**A/N: So, here's a story; I liked this one guy for almost two years, and he was fully aware of that fact but didn't do anything about it. Instead, he used my affection to try and get to the girl he was _really _hoping to snatch... which he did... but that didn't turn out so well, either. I kinda saw Sokka having girl trouble to that extent, and I _do _believe he cares about Suki. He probably just doesn't know what love is. Yet. _Any_way, more Kataang-ness in the next one. Please tell me any suggestions you have, too, like other characters you'd like to see in the spotlight! --MM**


	24. New Waters

"Think fast, air boy!"

Aang had practically forgotten about the handful of minutes that passed near the water tennis courts by himself, minutes that seemed like _hours_... all because of a delicate voice that he caught from a fair distance. He'd been meditating in the grass, waiting for her, and his senses were so _clear _his eyes didn't even need to open to know where Katara's water whip was coming from.

He frowned in his sitting position, feeling the Earth beneath him tremble by the waterbender's rushing footsteps as she tried to surprise him from his far left. Aang smiled as his mind grabbed hold of the incoming water whip aimed toward his ear... and immediately he jumped in all of his airbending mastery.

"_Whoa!_"

Katara beamed, almost tripping on the grass as she stopped in awe of the young boy suspended in the air, holding his smile and keeping his eyes closed.

The fact that she'd shown up late to her own lesson seemed so far in the past. Still in the air, Aang finally opened his eyes with a devilish smirk to greet Katara. Those sapphire eyes that sparkled from below mesmerized him... he almost forgot how to speak.

And Katara put her hands together and lowered into a formal bow, while the boy descended back towards the ground. Her hairloops moved against Aang's manipulative wind, feeling a brush of ease as she paid her respect to the Avatar-in-Training. Seeing Katara grin at the corners of her mouth almost made him want to leap over and kiss her... but the boy knew better. Spirits were great experts at the serendipity between young hearts, and he constantly prayed to them, for the smallest hint that Katara would eventually seal her feelings to him with soft, beautiful lips.

Funny... how a human form that eclipsed hundreds of Avatar Spirits could still feel so _helpless_ over one simple wish.

But Aang still gazed at her serenely, at the way she smiled and paid her respect to a young powerful boy. He remembered why he was working so hard in the first place.

"I guess this means you're happy?" Aang asked innocently, finally landing back to the ground with graceful toes.

"Are you kidding?" Katara's grin widened, and she threw her arms over to hug him tightly. "Aang, I'm so _proud of you! _Those reflexes are getting better and better with each lesson. Azula has _no idea _who she's dealing with now..."

Her musical voice kept going as she held Aang, and the boy was just glad that she wasn't an Earthbender, by the alarming rate of his beating heart.

"Uh... Katara, I think you're _choking_– me--?" Aang managed within the waterbender girl's grasp and vengeful monologue about the Fire Nation princess.

"Oh!" she blushed and quickly let him go, bashfully. "Sorry... I'm... I'm really sorry that I kept you waiting, too."

"It's alright," Aang twirled a mini-discus from his hand and playfully sent it over to Katara's wavy, charcoal brown hair. "The meditating really helps clear my senses; I didn't even notice you were late."

Katara smiled, summoning a glob of water from the moat around the Water-Tennis court to commence her lesson. With her graceful hands, and a concentrated frowning of the head, she split the suspended glob into two and brought one over to Aang's frame.

"Okay, so at least you know how to dodge something quick, like the water-whip... but I think it's time you learned how to _re-direct _the same attack to your opponent. Azula does her attacks with a one-way mentality – according to Zuko, that's how most FireBenders think."

"Right, I remember," Aang smiled, somehow not feeling so much offended that Zuko was being brought up again. This was for educational purposes after all. "He said that Fire is the 'fast' element; it's energy can be really strong, but it's only quick enough for single blows."

"Yep," Katara let the water dangle between her hands as if by an invisible string, "which is why Firebenders usually expect their attacks to be dodged. But as a Waterbender, you need to be double-minded. What does _that_ mean?"

She gave her little pupil a quizzical look with her solid blue eyes, and Aang almost choked by his nervous tongue. The answer came to him immediately. "You gotta be flexible during the whole fight... and be ready to dodge and _return _an attack to the other person!"

Aang could feel a shimmer come across his silver eyes, now that it all seemed to _click _with that little glob of water suspended by his hands. Maybe that's why Katara seemed so passionate (and lethal) inside that tennis court. _She had to be ready for anything._

"Good job!" Katara said cheerfully and raised a hand to extend her water glob like a lengthy rope, and the boy watched carefully and followed suit, extending his glob almost as thin as his fingers. "You're getting better... but try not to make it too thin! You want to always keep the whip good and strong."

"Gotcha." Aang flattened the glob to start over, thinning his eyes as he concentrated for his second try. Before long, the two friends had two successful water whips suspended between their arms, and Katara moved a few paces away from Aang to give them some practicing distance.

"Okay, now do you remember the proper water-whip shielding movement?" Katara raised her voice a little as she started stepping away from the boy. "I'm going to try and send this whip over to you, and I want you to _receive _that water into your own whip and _keep it _in the air. Got it?"

"Y-yeah..." Aang tried to stay focused without feeling his fingers shake nervously. In spite of her kind nature, that girl had an exceptionally quick arm with the whip...

Before he could even finish his thought, Katara lassoed a hand over her head and sent the water-whip cutting through the air, aiming it towards Aang's floating whip. He bit his lip tightly, pulling back one of his palms steadily... _just _as the whip hit his own. It was like the entire rope of water shook in front of his frame, naturally by the nervous wreck that Aang had been in! But as he saw Katara's smile, the boy knew he had done something right.

"Aang, you did it!" the girl clapped, while the boy still shook nervously by the reflex. His insides felt so warm by the sound of Katara's voice, though.

"Thanks," he replied, tightening his hands to make the shield a bit more sturdy. "I think it's a little weak, though.

"Don't worry! You held onto the attacking water and shielded it... that's the important part. Now the next step is to _return _that water just as quickly as you received it."

Aang raised a brow. "What? You mean _right now?_"

"_No_, silly. We gotta work on your reflexes a little bit more!" Katara giggled, amused how Aang would expect her to jump into the mastery lessons so quickly. "Okay, send the shield over to me like a whip, and I'll keep you on your toes."

And the two friends braced themselves along the grass near the tennis courts, letting their sunny afternoon be composed with a few globs of water, passing around them in controllable fashion.

* * *

"Well _of course_ I think he's a nutcase, Longshot!"

The scrawny red-head grimaced, rubbing one of her temples and stabbing her pencil onto her open Social Studies book as she tried to let every word of the text sink in. It didn't help that this was the only comfortable study place in the entire White Lotus orphanage, where right at the bottom of the stairwell, dozens of noisy kids were lined up at the cafeteria to await a delicious dinner of chicken and dumplings.

Longshot was seated just a step above her on the staircase, trying to write down his daily journal entry for Cultural Enrichment, every now and then looking to see if the line was getting any smaller. He could already hear his stomach grumbling! As he made his silent conversation to Smellerbee's, he let one of his hands carefully massage her shoulder, as if to tell her to quit worrying so much.

She lifted her head to meet the boy in a lop-sided glance, and as usual, Longshot didn't respond to her in words. He just stared at her, condescendingly... surprised that after three full hours, the presence of Mai at the White Lotus was still overtaking Smellerbee's system.

"What'd you expect?" the girl continued in her husky childish voice, throwing a hand in the air. "One thing was letting her hang out in our Oak Tree, but _inviting her here_? Shotters, this is _humiliating!_ She's probably gonna go tell her Fire princess friend what it's like to be in the _poor house_ with us_._"

Longshot sighed, still massaging her shoulder in the gentlest way he could. It didn't stop the girl from continuing her complaints, as she could see Mai frantically trying to cut up enough vegetables for an oversized pot far down in the kitchen.

"_Look at her_… she's picking at the water chestnuts like they're made of poison or something..."

Her dark brown eyes squinted back to the kitchen, narrowing to take a better look at the discomfort of Mai's features. She seemed very well-skilled with the knife in her hand, taking it to the vegetables like a work of art... but her pale face looked nervous, wincing every time a piece of dumpling dough would accidentally fly at her side. She and Jet were surrounded by that long table of raw vegetables and children leaning over to watch them work, as if fascinated by their cooking.

"It's that same strategy of his, Longshot," Smellerbee muttered in disgust, unable to find a way back to her studious reading. "He's smiling, watching her make a fool out of herself… Don't you_ remember_ how he kept leading that Water girl on? She thought she was gonna be his date for the Year-End dance last year. God, she shoulda taken a number..."

Longshot planted a firm grip on his friend's shoulder, pausing the massage and silently asking her to be careful with the bickering. He knew Smellerbee didn't always mean what she'd say about people, but this was concerning Jet... and a weakness he was _still_ struggling to break free of. Smellerbee didn't have a right to put him down like that.

"I'm know... I'm sorry..." the girl just slouched, stopping herself from continuing to comment on Jet's charismatic nature. "But I don't like how he's being so close with Miss Sharpy here. She's… _she's just not right for him_."

And Longshot made a small sound, like a wince under his breath. It made the girl raise a brow, wondering why his massaging hand had suddenly gone limp. She turned her body over to see him... and one glance at a rare, familiar sad face just made Smellerbee's eyes widen. _ No way. How could his mind suddenly go back to that ridiculous reasoning?_

"_JEALOUS!?_" Smellerbee snorted, shaking her head in complete amusement and ridicule, burying her head with her hands. "Oh _come on_, Longshot… seriously. Ugh. That's ancient history."

The boy just gazed down at her quietly, feeling a certain weight leave his shoulders in relief, and he blinked in a sigh. Longshot kept listening to Smellerbee's husky voice, even as it was buried by her hands.

"I'm just saying _that idiot_ needs to focus on his dances, or else he's gonna miss out on some really good scouting in Ba Sing Se. He's so close to graduating, Longshot! If he doesn't get that certificate and leave, he's just gonna stay at White Lotus forever, like… like it's his punishment or something."

Slowly, Longshot brought his hand to touch Smellerbee's closest ear, lifting her head back up with one little ticklish rub... and feeling himself smile back down. She playfully studied his eyes, reading what his face was asking her about Jet.

"Well, _yeah_ I'm gonna miss him -- he's our _lead dancer_; nobody can replace him. He's the reason I got Runner-Up in _Street Fest _last year," Smellerbee grinned, but then her eyes turned elsewhere to spare an awkward feeling that hung over their heads. "But… but he's _better_ than all this. He deserves to get outta here. And that freaky girl's just gonna make things harder for him."

"I think he knows what he's doing," Longshot's soft, pleasant voice finally came into existence.

Smellerbee laughed, her eyeshadow overtaking the narrowing of her brown eyes, and the tall lanky boy couldn't help but chuckle. She leaned her head tiredly to one of his sitting knees, as they both turned on the stairwell to see the crowded kitchen full of children. Slowly, Longshot's hand moved to caress Smellerbee's arm warmly, and the girl giggled.

"You're so damn easy to talk to, Shotters," she muttered sweetly in her husky voice.

And Longshot gave a warm, very rare smile to his best friend... feeling his heartbeat quicken as Smellerbee gently caught his hand with her own, and laced their fingers together.

Some things were best left unsaid.

* * *

"Mister, who are we kidding here? _I_ was just telling her what I felt."

Toph crossed her dirty feet up on the sofa chair across from the guidance counselor, slouching and into more relaxed sitting position as she chatted with her favorite faculty member.

The two of them held ceramic, handle-less cups of tea, and while Toph sipped hers comfortably without a care in the world, Mr. Iroh was the one who sighed, moving his cup slightly to stir the water within it. He stared at the little girl assertively, well aware that she would never meet his eyes under that messy hair… but pretending that he could read her thoughts.

"Toph, I understand that you do not always agree with Ms. Wu's teachings," the old man started to console with his worn, accented voice, "but that is no excuse for disrupting her class today. She thinks that the simplest parts of everyday culture are to be appreciated, and whether you like it or not, you need to keep those negative comments to yourself."

"But it's not just me," the little girl blew a few of her hair strands out of her face, "_Everybody _feels that way about that stupid class. And it's like Ms. Wu doesn't _care_. She just wants us to pay attention to her… or to that pathetic little lady who comes in every Friday."

"Spare me from the name-calling today, Toph. Please," Iroh finally set his cup down softly on his desk to compose himself, placing a hand on his gray beard to think. She just sat there, warming her little hands by the tea cup she held.

The quietness of the room now seemed to overwhelm the man, with the sunlight from his window now luring some brightness to his summer watercolor paintings on the walls, and the _Pai Sho_ board on his desk that looked so tempting to play. Iroh's aged copper eyes just stared at the little Earthbender, almost sadly, clearly knowing that she couldn't appreciate the colors and beauty of certain things that others could easily see. But Toph sipped the tea in miniscule droplets, like she always did… patiently waiting to hear the voice of a man she had grown so accustomed to listening to.

Mr. Iroh took another long breath, and picked up his tea again.

"Now, I want to tell you a story, because I've known you since you were _this small…_" his voice dramatically flew to an octave higher, giving Toph a rare reason to laugh slightly, "and because you sometimes try to make things _difficult _just for the fun of it. Do you mind if I share it with you?"

"Shoot," was her reply, taking another sip of tea. Mr. Iroh was quite the storyteller... and it was one thing she liked about these meetings with the old guy.

"There was once a young, very privileged girl from the Earth Kingdom capital, who one day decided that she no longer wanted to live by the rules of her society, and she ran off."

Toph snorted under her messy hair, rolling her glassy green eyes. "Do I know this girl?"

Mr. Iroh smiled and took a sip of his tea.

"No, actually. Her name was Jun… and she is going to be my daughter in-law soon."

"_Wait, _hold on," Toph flinched and gripped her teacup tightly, "You're saying that this carefree, trouble-making girl… is gonna _marry Lu Ten!?_"

"Heh, you're jumping ahead, little one," Iroh replied amusingly with his laughter, resting his teacup on his belly. "Of course, I can never speak for my son, but I believe he saw something in that troublesome girl that nobody else did. She had a strong, adventurous spirit that was greater than the walls of our _kingdom_, and it drove him to understand more of the world he was not seeing. To be the future Fire Lord no longer seemed like a burden for him, because he saw great opportunities in it… and Jun? She sometimes forgets about the rules, and the way people are supposed to act, but she learned that she couldn't be troublesome forever… because she could never find peace within herself."

Toph made a slouching sound under her breath, her fingers slowly playing with the lukewarm tea in her cup.

"So you see?" Iroh's voice broke the silence again. "I am not saying that you should change who you are, little one… but it's not right to disrespect others and keep a closed mind to what _they_ believe. If you let yourself be open to new ideas, it might help you see things differently."

The girl just breathed, her eyes keeping themselves still towards the ground.

"Yeah, whatever..." Toph muttered quietly, but with a tiny smile beneath her dark hair. "So how did _those two _end up together, anyway?"

Mr. Iroh couldn't help but make a hearty laugh at that question, almost putting a flush of pink in his cheeks. He wondered if he should tell the _whole _story to this twelve-year-old girl, but brushed that concern off with one look of her frank little face. It mesmerized him, how in a single look she could read people as if she were a grown-up herself.

He smiled, and told the short version.

"It was the _single _day that I decided to go to a second-hand tavern with Lu Ten, to drink and reminisce about all you crazy children… and I suppose I had too much, because I made the mistake of flirting with the wrong girl."

Toph almost spilled her tea on her lap, gaping over at the man. "_You were hitting on Jun?"_

"Try being a widow for twenty years. Sometimes, grown-ups do stupid things!" Iroh slouched in in amusing shame, smiling as he put lukewarm tea back on the desk. "Anyway, she was _just _about to clobber me, but my son came to the rescue... and the two of them, well… they hit it off."

There was a sparkle of happiness that appeared in Iroh's eyes, which he slightly felt sad that Toph could not see.

"Wow," was all that the little girl said, frankly, pushing a bit more of her messy hair away with her fingers. "So how do you feel about her being Miss Fire Lady at some point?"

Iroh winced easily, but laughed in deep thought about those first memories.

"It took me a _long_ time to accept Jun as a member of our family, but Lu Ten was very persistent with me. He loved her so much, and I could see that he made the right decision. Jun has been such a blessing for my son, and I always thank the Spirits that they found each other."

A bit of blush fell onto Toph's cheeks as she grinned, thinking about the cheesiness of romance. She didn't say a word, but Iroh knew _exactly_ who the little girl was thinking about, and decided to play a daring card with his next question. He couldn't resist!

"How are things going with that boy genius of yours?"

She blinked, and slouched even more into the sofa, feeling her cheeks flush with more color as an image of Teo crossed her mind.

"Meh. They're fine," she muttered, with an embarrassing smile. "He's all busy, designing these crazy flying machines for whoever wants to learn to be an airbender next week. And he didn't tell me he was making a flying wheelchair for himself… until he took me _into the air_ after football practice yesterday! _God, it scared the CRAP out of me!_"

The guidance counselor just sat, feeling his stomach shake from the hearty chuckling he made. Oh, what the man wouldn't give to have those fun-loving young years again.

"Keep him on a short leash, little one," Mr. Iroh advised. "And if you let him… he'll change your life, too."

"_Yeah yeah yeah_…" Toph just said mockingly, her blush still intact. It wasn't long before the two of them just laughed away the awkwardness of that conversation. The school gong was heard overhead, marking the end of the day and for Toph to get ready for her Earthbending practice.

"Maybe I should kick myself out of Ms. Wu's class more often," Toph commented as she got off the sofa sloppily, grinning at Iroh's general direction. "I miss talking to you, dude!"

"Well _I _miss having a good night's rest, but do I complain?" Iroh said, chuckling as he opened the door for the girl to leave. "Less trouble with Ms. Wu from now on. Yes?"

"Alrighty," was her goodbye as she quickly hugged the silly old guidance counselor, taking her leave and high-fiving one of the twin secretaries soon after.

And the gray-bearded future Fire Lord looked on as the little Earthbender scurried out of the attendance office towards the flowing crowd of students, shaking his head with disbelief… not regretting this job he'd voluntarily chosen to do for Praying Mantis High.

* * *

--

"They're almost finished, On Ji, don't worry. It's just taken me forever to find the correct measurements again... and cutting the sphere perfectly in half is extremely important. I don't want you to get injured again!"

Mr. Mechanist scampered around in his laboratory like a child searching frantically for his favorite toy, wearing an apron and these think leather gloves and digging into shelves of gadgets that encompassed his small classroom. On Ji had just entered the classroom quietly, and didn't even have time to say 'hello' before the man immediately recognized her and set off on wild-goose chase to search for measuring tape.

"It's alright, Mr. Mechanist! I'm not in that much of a hurry for new air-skates, really."

"Don't be silly, dear," the man with the elongated beard squinted his eyes as he flipped through some large pages of an old, unknown book... wondering if he'd used the measuring tape for a bookmark. "I know how much you loved those things, and I swear I'll have a new set ready for you by next week."

On Ji laughed, seeing that familiar restlessness pass through one of the most scientifically-driven people she had ever met. His son Teo had been no different, inheriting his father's genius and curiosity for the unknown... always designing and inventing remarkable contraptions for the classroom.

When Mr. Mechanist had proposed his scientific lesson plans to the newly-established Praying Mantis faculty years ago, it wasn't hard to say they were skeptical over letting this man's teachings reach the ears of students... benders and non-benders alike. It had been long assumed that the kids matriculating in Praying Mantis would only appreciate the ancient, traditional crafts of their world... centered of course, around the four elements of Bending. Vice Principal Zhao _despised _that scientist, hearing him speak about odd mathematics, inventions and ridiculous machinery that would encourage the students to look beyond their original means of problem-solving.

Praying Mantis High was not intended to be a school for _new_ arts, but as Avatar Roku realized the knowledge and the _passion_ behind Mr. Mechanist's teachings, the wise man could not help but give his curriculums a chance. Perhaps it would benefit the Non-benders... motivating them to pursue success without feeling deprived of an element.

The school had been designed for diversity, after all.

And so when the proposal was approved, the faculty asked if Mr. Mechanist would manage with a small, regular classroom... but he kindly said no. Instead, in the span of an entire summer... he and his son designed and built a_ two-story Victorian-looking house _that wasn't far off from the main Gothic foundation. There, he placed his classroom, and he and his son lived and studied the new arts, inventing little gadgets to keep their house running without any need for Bending. With Mr. Mechanist came the annual science fair, the scholastic trivial competition, among the many little projects he'd delightfully assign to his students in class. There always seemed to be a little elbow grease on the man.

"No really, Mr. Mechanist, I wasn't coming here to ask about the air-skates," On Ji attempted again, seeing as the man wasn't slowing down in his search. "I just wanted to know if I passed last week's quiz about Noeton's Laws."

The man paused half-way in his rummaging, looking at the young girl oddly through a thick pair of round glasses, and just gave an amusing laugh, shutting his eyes foolishly.

"_New_ton's Laws, dear On Ji," he laughed, finally taking his hands out of a messy shelf of gadgets to walk over to his paper-coated desk. "One of the craziest inventors of scientific theory the new world has had to deal with. He's among my favorites!"

Taking his gloves off, Mr. Mechanist adjusted his spectacles and started looking for On Ji's name among the papers. Shyly, the girl approached the desk, too curious to stay waiting at the door... and the man successfully pulled out a slightly crumpled paper from the bunch.

"Ah ha!" the teacher exclaimed happily, taking the pencil off from his ear to re-read all of her answers as a form of habit. After a few quiet seconds, he nodded over to On Ji positively. "You missed three questions; that's good for a solid B."

"_Really?_" On Ji smiled, astonished at the result of a quiz she thought she'd done dreadfully in.

"Yep. Aang and Teo were tied for a perfect score, but if you keep studying I'm sure their little brain cells won't stand a _chance _against you!" Mr. Mechanist teased.

"Thank you, sir. Have a great weekend!" the little airbender just giggled embarrassingly, holding her books tightly to her frame. She looked around and made a few steps back as if to leave, but seeing the boxes of books and contraptions lying on the ground. The man was naturally untidy with all of his equipment... but the unusual number of boxes made On Ji develop another question in her mind.

"Mr. Mechanist," she turned back around to acknowledge her teacher, with concerned and confused eyes. "Are... are you leaving?"

He raised a brow, but then winced over an the great pile of things in his room, and immediately understood. "Oh! Oh no, no, dear On Ji. I'm not going anywhere! Teo and I are just rebuilding our house. It's been _seven years _since I designed it... and after that beam fell on Teo's legs last summer, I knew I had to make this place more _stable _for us to live in. So I came up with a new house design, and I'll be tearing this one down very soon. I'll be using one of the school's classrooms to teach in the meantime."

"Oh, I see," On Ji said, still overlooking the piles of equipment on the ground. "Did you need any help moving things out?"

Mr. Mechanist laughed. "Ah, that won't be necessary, On Ji, but thank you. I have it all taken care of... Princess Azula said that she and her friends would be _more_ than willing to help me move out... and she _insisted _to hire a professional to tear down the house."

On Ji's eyes widened, practically to the point of drying out.

"A... professional?" She repeated slowly, trying hard not to look panicked, as much as her heart was beating rapidly.

"Yes!" Mr. Mechanist soon began taking some books down from his shelves, placing them neatly into a fresh cardboard box. "He goes by the name of _Combustion Man_. Quite catchy, don't you think?"

She felt her heartbeats almost hitting against the book that was held close to her frame, and On Ji bravely set a calm, convincing smile on her face. Her backward steps were almost shaking as she tried to find her way to the door.

"Y–yes...um... well have a... a good weekend, Mr. Mechanist."

And with a fairly odd glance from the teacher, On Ji took off without another word.

* * *

"_Fair Oma, I do believe we are at a threshold within these woods, at the base of the highest mountain between our villages. Can you sense the sulfurous roaring beneath the stillness of our feet?"_

They were now juggling two globs of water, slowly exchanging them in mid-air between the two of them, and Aang smiled, seeing Katara's sapphire eyes blink from his lines. It was his way of inviting her to take the challenge and practice something else at the same time

"_Why yes, dear Shu." _Katara replied in a slight giggle, holding her head high to prevent a blushing of the cheeks as she remembered her line fully. _"I thought it was the beating thunder of my heart, to be quite frank, holding you as close as I am."_

"Haha!" the boy laughed sweetly, returning the water gracefully in the circle as he felt the words defy the actual distance between him and Katara at the moment. "_I would no sooner agree to those lovely words, my dear Kat_– I mean, _Oma!... but I sense that a certain creature lurks within this mountain. A creature known for its mythological wisdom to the Earth."_

Katara made a playful gasp and leaves her mouth agape, by which Aang immediately laughed over, his hands shaking the suspended water. The girl just shook her head in disbelief, closing her mouth into a smirk once again.

"_Surely you are not referring to the infamous _Toph-Monster?" Katara couldn't resist.

And that did it for Aang. He couldn't hold it any longer, with the water immediately falling in a splash to the ground, craning his stomach over as he started to crack up. The lovely waterbender soon followed with a giggle, calling a break from the lesson.

"We should totally say that during a rehearsal... just to see the look on Haru's face!" Aang said between breaths, bringing a hand to his laughing stomach. He could just imagine a giant badger-mole wearing Toph's woolen green headband, stomping into the little theater stage.

"Aw, I was just kidding!" Katara said in a humble voice between her giggles, bringing strands of her hair away from her face. "God... can you believe the show's just a little over a month away? I still can't remember all the dance moves, this whole class presidential stuff is getting hectic… and Sokka just won't shut up about protecting the Water Tribes."

"Yeah, I heard about what they did to the cafeteria food yesterday," Aang muttered, trying to Bend the water back up from the ground into a small glob once again. He attempted to make it look so much easier than it really was, furrowing his eyebrows, feeling sweat almost trickle down his neck from the concentration.

"Careful with the grass; Coach Hama'll have a _fit _if she sees a dry patch anywhere," Katara managed to say as she lent the boy a hand. "Anyway, about the lunch… not too many students got food poisoning, thank goodness."

"But they sabotaged the Water Tribe food!" Aang unfortunately had to hear it from Kuzon, who'd gone home sick immediately after finishing his bowl of Sea Prune Stew. Not to say that the name itself made Aang's stomach twist into knots, but still… kids went home that day. "Wasn't it supposed to bring cultural awareness into the school?"

"Yes," Katara frowned, demonstrating to Aang how to move a water shield over his head, "and just as Azula wanted, the plan _backfired_. But we don't have any way of proving that she did it! We just have to move on and focus on the plan."

"There's gotta be a way to stop her," the boy couldn't let go of the fact that he was causing so much unnecessary harm. "She can't just keep threatening people into voting for her like that… making them sick and scared about cultural diversity."

"Aang, _we are_ trying to stop her_,_" Katara assured to him through her thinning eyes, holding the water shield in front of her. "At least until Principal Roku returns from his travels as the Avatar, _you _can set a good example. It's what we decided on at the campaign meeting, remember? You can prove that unity is the best message at Praying Mantis High… and that all the elements share a sense of goodness."

Katara winced, almost forgetting that she was holding a giant water shield over her frame, and quickly held it before the water would splash away towards the ground.

"The best thing we can do is survive, and be ready for the next thing that Azula and her friends throw at us. Ty Lee was actually dumb enough to try the sea prunes yesterday, too, so Azula has one less henchman to worry about."

"But Hide… he's back on campus, isn't he?"

"True, but all the teachers are on his back about homework and quizzes he's missed. I don't think he'll be giving us much trouble now. Mr. Iroh seems to be watching his every move, too. Our job is now to watch out for Azula."

Aang blinked, staring involuntarily over the forest, where an image of On Ji air-skating happily suddenly crossed his mind. It was difficult enough letting her fend for herself, but Aang was determined to trust her that whole week, never pressing on the fact that Hide had returned to school. Her scar had become practically invisible beneath her red headband.

So many of these students were putting their lives on the line for a mission they believed in, and Aang couldn't help but feel guilty about it.

Why did he always think that certain problems had simple resolutions? Things at the Southern Air Temple seemed to fix themselves overnight… but _this_, asking for cultural diversity and acceptance in a school… had somehow sent a ton of rocks flying over the airbender's head. Neither Avatar Roku, nor Monk Gyatso, nor _anyone _had warned this young boy about the dangers he might face as the Avatar, and in a way, Aang felt betrayed by it. The system that Avatar Roku was trying to create was no longer in his control… or perhaps it wasn't in the control he had expected it to be.

And Aang couldn't bear to see his classmates - people he had barely even gotten to know - put their lives on the line for a visiting child. Sometimes he wondered if going back home was the best option, in spite of Gyasto's constant advice otherwise.

_But I can't…_Aang thought…_I can't run away like that. I'm not gonna drop out of _Omashu_, I'm not gonna let the airbenders down… and I'm not gonna turn my back on Katara's mission. It's going to work. It's a great one. She needs me._

It was at that point when Aang turned to look at Katara in his regular, newfound gaze, with the blue and white outfit she was sporting suddenly seeming to take a life of its own against the calm breeze. For a moment, it was like she was the only girl in the entire school... the only person Aang had gotten to know. And that broken, worried smile she made towards the ground just overshadowed every other thought in the boy's mind.

"Are you okay?" he asked, watching as Katara's blue eyes flinched to meet his. "I don't think I've ever met someone who worries as much as you do."

Katara raised a brow, and Aang turned fully for her attention, explaining himself further.

"At the Temple, they used to tell us that worrying makes the easiest jobs seem like longer, impossible obstacles... and you slowly begin to doubt whether or not you can accomplish them."

"I understand that, but... there's just so much going on with me." Katara sighed, but still holding her shield professionally. "I can't help but think about the election, and the play, and _oh God,_ Mr. Jeong Jeong's poetry exam next week!"

"Katara, calm down!" Aang bravely said, not caring that his suspended glob of water had hit the ground. "Seriously, how does anyone in this school have time to _breathe_? It's like you're always supposed to be working for something _better_, trying to prove yourself to someone_. All the time._"

"Aang, what are you talking about--"

"Be honest," the boy just looked at her curiously, with such a keen eye. "Do you remember the last time you ever did something for _yourself? _Where you didn't worry about how other people were seeing you?"

Katara frowned suddenly, dangerously, and her water shield started to undulate weakly. Apparently the boy had hit a very sensitive part of her mind. She almost didn't seem to breathe as she shrewdly began to say her answer.

"Waterbending has been _my life_, Aang, you understand?" Katara's thinning eyes started to glimmer, "Ever since that first day, when I realized I could make ripples in the water without touching it, that's all I ever wanted to master… and nothing… _nothing_ was more important to me after that."

Aang nodded, almost frightened by the seriousness in Katara's voice. It was so low and _buried _with little sobs that hung in the back of her throat... just waiting to be released.

"My mom believed in me the most, but she always told me that if I wanted to be a true WaterBender... my abilities had to come from _here._"

Katara did not hesitate to point a finger harshly at her chest. Her heart.

"And I never understood what she meant by that. I just wanted to be the best, and for every water-tennis match, I worked and practiced _so much_. She hardly ever said _'good job' _or '_you did so well'_... I just remember the same comment. '_Remember to bend with your heart, sweety. Don't forget who you are.' _I didn't listen, Aang... and I got so _angry _with her_._"

Aang could practically feel her bitterness seep out like invisible threads from the shaking of her lips. He didn't need to ask for a further explanation, because it all showed in the vulnerability of her speech... Aang could see how a misunderstanding between mother and daughter had brought them both to emotional ruin.

"I was _selfish_." Katara spat out her explanation as if she were criticizing herself in front of a mirror. "God, I even remember how viciously Sokka and I fought... how he yelled at me… saying I was acting like some _spoiled_ _brat_ with this bending, but I _didn't care_. Aang, I stopped caring about everyone except me, and I didn't listen to my mom anymore!"

Water was swelling up in her eyes, but Katara was too focused on her story to let it stream down her cheeks. Her breaths were so stiffled and angry that Aang was almost terrified of looking at her in the eye. The last few words came in pieces, bringing almost sobs along with them.

"I don't even remember her telling me she was dying," her furrowing eyebrows trembled. "She needed me, and... and I didn't _listen_..."

She didn't cry, but the tears fell freely down her delicate dark face. Aang wanted to approach her... to tell her that she didn't need to explain anything else if she didn't want to. He just wanted to embrace her with all of his forgiving nature... but Aang knew she was too fragile, and dangerous to barely even meet her eyes.

"I stopped doing things for myself, Aang. Coach Hama kept asking me to play for the school team, so I did... and I _try _to control my competitive side... but I don't plan to put my own needs over others again."

The boy felt himself breathe, letting his gray eyes slowly build up the courage to see Katara at a certain level of understanding, without feeling she was going to devour him.

"Katara, I know you feel you should make it up to your mom, but this isn't healthy. You're giving up all of your energy to others, and you think you're a failure if you don't do things perfectly."

"So what?" her eyes escaped towards the ground, holding herself as steadily as she could.

"_So you'll never find peace that way_!"

The girl shook her head slowly, feeling like the voice of Zuko was also telling her the same exact thing in her mind. Aang crossed his arms, bringing himself closer to the reluctant waterbender's stance, and he furrowed his eyebrows at the next question he asked curiously.

"Tell me something. What're you gonna do if Azula _does_ win the election?"

"That's _not _going to happen, Aang," she snapped, not taking her eyes from the ground.

"_I'm not saying it will_, but just think about it. Please!"

Aang kept approaching her, cautiously, seeing as her face was becoming more of a distorted frown, and she crossed her arms. His voice was almost trembling, but he kept the questions coming.

"Are you gonna start taking revenge on everyone who voted for her, just because they didn't agree with your mission?"

"Aang..."

"_Tell me!_"

"NO!" Katara threw that syllable almost violently towards the young boy she had to tighten her stomach to recognize, finally looking back to him. She composed herself, saying "No, _I won't hurt anyone_. But I'll be angry with myself."

"_Why_?" The boy felt his cheeks flush, frustrated and confused as to why he couldn't get through to her. "If you fought the good fight, and did it for what you and many other people believed in... wouldn't that be enough to help you move on?"

"Aang, you don't understand."

"No, Katara, _YOU _don't understand!" He heard himself say, and even as his heart skipped a few beats, the flustered words kept leaving his mouth. "You have_ no idea _how beautiful and amazing you are, and you're _killing _yourself over something that's supposed to be good for the whole school. People are helping you, and you _still feel like it's never gonna be enough! _YOU'RE A KID! STOP WORRYING AND HAVE SOME GOD-DAMNED FUN!"

He felt the echoing in his young voice, the volume it ascended to, and Aang wasn't sure if he had involuntary driven himself into the Avatar State. He felt the grass beneath his feet, and the trembling of his fingers that were slowly numbing at his side. All he could hear was his breathing... intensely... looking over at the same girl with non-blinking eyes.

And the girl just stood there, flabbergasted by the words that came out from that young, once very-calm airbender. She almost thought she saw steam coming out from the boy's blue arrow atop his bald head, and it practically forgot that she'd been arguing and shedding tears just moments ago.

The boy's mind was still registering the fact that he'd cursed the name of the First Spirit for the very first time in his life. No excuse would come from that, not even from being at a foreign school. Quite the remarkable occasion, doing it in front of the one girl he cared about more than anything...

_Wait a second, _he thought. _Did I call her 'BEAUTIFUL'!? _

Suddenly all the blood drained from his head, and Aang immediately felt dizzy, shifting his eyes from one ear of Katara's to the other. He couldn't feel his legs. It was like a great amount of weight had invisibly taken shape in his chest... bringing him down...

"_Aang!_"

The waterbender swiftly ran over to his staggering side, just barely making it before he fell to his knees. She could hear herself still sniffling from the previous commotion, but she didn't care... the boy was still conscious under her eyes, and by a simple palm to the forehead, she breathed in relief that it wasn't a fever.

"Aang, are you with me?" Her eyes shifted sadly down to him, her mind calculating how much time it would take to get him to Nurse Yugoda.

"I... I'm..." the boy's eyes were lidded heavily, full of sudden exhaustion. He looked up at the girl -- as if through a dream -- and he couldn't help but smile goofily towards her worried eyes. "I'm with you. I'll always be with you, Katara. I... I love you."

She didn't even feel her eyes blink, what with his slightly-hallucinating voice and that ridiculous grin on his face. But Katara heard him... and all she could do was gaze down at the boy who'd been brave enough to face her darker side.

Katara smiled back at Aang with teary eyes, then, like she'd known him for years. _How could such feelings happen in a matter of moments? A rush of peace filtering through her body as she breathed a sigh of relief?_

_Did he really mean what he said? _

Her mind swam in that question ridiculously, watching as this young boy closed his eyes just as serenely for an unannounced rest, the girl's cheeks flushed with color by the release of so many torn feelings from long ago, and blushing from the revelation of thoughts that probably were intended to be kept secret.

As Aang closed his eyes, resting under the arms of his forever girl... all he could feel was the softness of a hand that caressed his cheek, and the familiar lips that delicately kissed his blue arrow into sweet dreams.

* * *

**A/N - A thousand apologies, fellow readers. Work has been taking over my life, not to mention my newly-discovered love for BLEACH (seriously, if Rukia and Ichigo don't get married, I might just shoot a small animal). But I'm NOT giving up on this amazing Avatar story... it's only going to get better! Thanks to all of your constant reviews. My goal is to make it to 30 solid chapters, but no one's counting! --MM**


	25. Brothers, Sister

"He... he said that?"

Katara was so focused on turning to the right page in her literature textbook, she didn't notice the slight jump in her brother's voice. But she couldn't keep that smile from leaving her face.

"Yeah! Can you believe it?" She found the chapter for East Asian Haikus and quickly searched in her favorite pen to make herself study notes. "Nurse Yugoda said he must've gotten _really _overwhelmed to fall into a dizzy spell like that... but Sokka, if you saw the way he was looking at me, he seemed so..._peaceful._"

As she glanced over at him, it almost amazed her that Sokka was barely looking down at his fried wolf-bat lunch, instead of chewing on it by the mouthful. Even during an intense studying session they always tried to plan once a week, Sokka never held back on an empty stomach. Katara could see the distraught look in his eyes, how they didn't seem to focus on anything except the patterns of text in his _Materials & Mechanisms_ book.

"Hey, you alright?"

She poked harmlessly at his shoulder, trying to get his attention away from a book to look at solid, very similar blue eyes. It was something Katara had seemed to inherit from their mother, however much it bugged him most of the time.

Sokka just blinked as Katara's teasing finger went at his arm a few more times, but he didn't care. He just muttered a 'yeah, I'm good' without even moving to brush off his sister's pry.

"Okay, seriously," she rolled her eyes, now giving his shoulder a light punch. "You're worse than Zuko. Now what's the matter?"

Sokka sighed, "It's not something I want to get into right now, okay? I have enough stuff to worry about as it is."

Her eyes shifted, trying to study her brother's slowly-thinning eyes that refused to move away from the textbook. Usually, she would just forcefully move Sokka's chin, or poke him silly until he did something to face her... but for some reason... the girl's mind could not help but rest. All Katara could remember was the immense, frustrated look that a young boy had made to get through to the person he loved (_loved?_). She didn't want to be that overwhelming anymore. Especially to her brother.

"Sokka, don't worry so much," she attempted, in the careful voice she usually reserved for Zuko. "Whatever it is, it can't be _that_ bad. Try me."

The boy just glanced at his sister for a moment and grunted, feeling she should be the first to know about anything girl-related with him... whether he liked it or not.

Sokka mumbled his explanation out in one sentence, his voice falling into sad little cracks.

"_YOU BROKE UP WITH SUKI?"_

Katara didn't even feel her voice bellow so loudly, but the few heads that were sitting near their outdoor commons had immediately turned in reaction. The boy's skin almost changed into the color of rice milk as he raised a shaking hand to 'shush' Katara down, trying to ignore the little bits of whispering that had ensued in the crowd.

"_That's not what I said!_" He whispered to her, exasperated. "I said that she and I... aren't... together... anymore."

"What the hell did you do, Sokka?" she looked at her brother like the most insolent scumbag in the world, crossing her arms as she waited for an answer. "_Please _don't tell me it has anything to do with the Science Fair..."

"Could I say something?" the boy attempted meekly, backing away on the grass as he had one hand slightly clutching his textbook in defense.

_What was it about girls, _he thought, _that they automatically took sides with each other, instead of their own blood? _

"Go ahead," Katara replied with sarcastic bite, knowing full well how her brother took girls' feelings very lightly. It's why she sometimes imagined Suki as nothing less than a _miracle_ that was brought down to him in second grade by the Spirits themselves.

Sokka took a breath and composed himself in front of his sister's critical eye. "I wasn't planning to break it off, _I swear._"

"You mean you _thought about it?_" Katara scoffed, shaking her head in dismay and keeping her arms very crossed. "Do you have any idea how sweet that girl has been to you? Ugh, I'm surprised you lasted this long... because _you're impossible." _

"Katara, stop it." Looking at his sister in the eyes was suddenly becoming too much for him, and they lingered elsewhere. The book he was holding up in defense had long been brought down to his lap. Sokka sighed, feeling a certain heaviness grow in his chest. "You... you're not the only one who hurts right now, okay?"

He had long regretted bringing up the subject, especially to the girl who took responsibility on _everyone's _individual emotions like it was her job. Sometimes, Sokka had trouble remembering he once _had_ a little sister... a girl who used to hide his boy-scout gadgets just to see him scamper around the house like a maniac, and would then hug him for no reason at all.

Those days seemed long gone, now that Katara's eyes just studied his own reflective blue, like he was as lifeless as the stone steps they were sitting on.

"Yes, I'm impossible," Sokka had learned quite a few girlfriends ago that the first step to leveling with them was through sheer self-blame... but with his sister, he had to lay his full honesty on the table. "And she and I've had our share of problems, me doing all these extra projects and her leading the Kyoshi dance troupe... but that has _nothing _to do with the break-up, Katara."

The girl took a small breath, knowing through his voice that he was being sincere.

"What happened?" she studied his nervous gaze towards the ground, letting her voice soften.

"It's hard to explain."

"Sokka..."

This was becoming much more difficult, as Sokka felt little uncomfortable pebbles almost take life in his gut. His eyebrows furrowed from the emptyness he felt in his stomach, like it was suddenly getting larger.

"I mean, it's not that I don't care about Suki. I _do. _But it's just that... I've been thinking about this _other girl_, in the back of my head." He noticed Katara blink, but Sokka continued before she could put a word in. "Nothing's _happened_. They're just feelings... ideas... and sometimes, I can't help but _see _myself with her... imagining what that would be like."

Katara's arms were still crossed, but the wonderment in her mind almost couldn't merge these emotionally difficult words and the stupid, impossible brother she'd always known him to be. Her blue eyes began to glimmer, and she nervously tugged at her hair to think about what to say next. All that her mind could do was wander, to put herself in her brother's position and understand how it felt.

"That's terrible, right?" Sokka sighed again after a few seconds' pause. Of all the people to listen to his emotional rambling, it _had _to be the most judgmental person in the world. This was bound to end badly, he thought.

But her eyes closed, remembering something that had been told to her from a while back.

"No, Sokka... it's not."

"Huh?" he eyebrows rose, like his sister had just formed a third eye.

"I mean _it's okay _to fantasize, as long as it isn't hurting the person you're close to."

Katara looked over at him again fully with a small grin, hoping that his level of shock had dwindled in order to understand what she was saying.

"Remember how _crazy _I was about Jet last year? I forgot I was my own _person_. Haru even tried asking me out, once, but I was so focused on this... this one _idea_ with Jet... I didn't see Haru in the picture. It was all because I kept going with my imagination, _believing _that Jet would someday feel the same way about me, even if I _knew _that would never happen."

Sokka still had his eyebrows raised, mostly from the sincere surprise that Katara had decided to share so much of her _personal _life to the sarcastic, obnoxious brother. Part of him thought she was mistaking him for someone else, and he humorously glanced over his shoulder, wondering if this was all part of a joke. But she smiled in remark and kept going.

"It took me forever to get over that guy, and Haru and I almost lost touch completely. But now... I'm lucky enough to have him as a friend. I think it's better that way, too."

Sokka was still lost for words. "How did you get so... _wise_?"

The girl laughed musically, punching her brother in the arm.

"Zuko and I visit Mr. Iroh for tea, sometimes." Katara tried to ignore that puzzled-yet-disgusted look on her brother's face. "Anyway... he said it's part of _human nature _to imagine what things would be like differently, but you shouldn't let those ideas overtake your reality. You might be missing out on some really great memories."

The boy took those words in, taking a breath before gearing his attention towards a little caterpillar-slug that was crawling up the wall they were sitting against. By the way Katara was comfortingly looking over to him, Sokka knew that her judgmental side had taken a break. He was now able to speak to her full-heartedly, in the way siblings could always hold their secrets.

"It happened over a stupid letter... which basically twisted everything I'd thought about Princess Yue." Sokka watched Katara blink at the mention of her friend's name, but he didn't stop there. "Whoever wrote it made it sound like I wanted to break up with Suki over some _cultural_ thing."

He rested him chin onto one of his hands, brooding over at Katara while she frowned at the imagination of such cruelty.

"It's not like the cultural thing wasn't _there," _Sokka then wondered out loud, "but the way it was written... Suki must've thought I didn't have any feelings for her _at all. _It was horrible_._"

"You'll have to talk to her," Katara advised assertively, "Let her know you didn't write that letter, and tell her how you feel. If those things about Yue are holding you back, you can't just hide them _forever_, Sokka."

Sokka's voice suddenly turned flustered all over again. "I have a feeling Azula _is expecting _me to do that. If I try to prove that cultural differences aren't a problem, that won't stop her from trying another scam like that again. It might put other people in danger."

Katara brought her eyes over to the ground, frowning and thinking as she brushed more of her hair. "How do you think she _knew _about all this?"

"I don't know..."

Sokka's mind lingered. He was trying to understand why it was suddenly so _easy _for the new kid to express his feelings to a girl he'd just known for months... but utterly impossible for a self-righteous fifteen-year-old to open his heart to someone he'd admirably teased since the moment she walked shyly into his second grade classroom... in her silly Kyoshi make-up and all.

Perhaps the best thing to do was to keep her safe, and out of whatever cruelty Azula was planning to do for his sister. He would have enough stress protecting one person, anyway.

"Isn't there a way we could _show_ the whole school that cultural integration could be a positive thing?" the girl then brought up.

"You mean like the workshops?" Sokka finally got around to taking a few bites out of his lunch. "Aang's working with Teo on those gliders, and I know Toph is pumped about teaching girls how to tackle for Earthbending football... and aren't you and Zuko planning your own little bending classes before the election?"

"Right," Katara could hear the sarcasm at his mention of Zuko without even trying, "but I think we need something else. Something that could bring the entire _school _together and see what an amazing, diverse community of people we have... WAIT A MINUTE!"

Sokka almost choked in his food as Katara suddenly flinched with excitement. Quickly, she searched into her bag and took out the fairly worn-out script of _OmaShu, _taking the liberty skimming over some underlined pages and reading a few lines to herself quietly.

"Uh... Katara, what are you--"

"This might actually _work,_" she cut him off, beaming with a smile as she glanced over to the confused, lunch-chewing Sokka. "The play's cast has a tonof diversity... and I know if I ask Haru, he could change some things around to show my mission to this campaign. And Zuko and I can advertise the show... and I can talk to Mr. Pakku to get the whole school invited...!"

The girl's voice just dragged off in mid-sentence, trying to contain her excitement as she quickly got up and started packing her things back into her bag.

"Wait! What about the study session?" Sokka raised a brow, watching his sister's long wavy hair flail around as she kept stuffing her bag with papers and books.

It was like watching a small hurricane.

"Sorry, this can't wait," She smiled, and without a moment's warning, Katara planted a small kiss of habit onto her brother's head. Sokka grimaced in slight disgust, but blushing nevertheless in reaction. "I have to find Mr. Pakku before lunch is over. Good luck with Suki!"

He didn't even have time to say something back to her, as Katara went off in a frenzy to look for their math teacher across the outside common area. All Sokka could do was shake his head in disbelief, and bring his eyes back to the same textbook he was reading. As he tried to concentrate in the text, Sokka couldn't help but laugh a little... realizing how some things about his annoying little sister would always be the same.

* * *

"_Brothers and Sisters of my East and West, I do not appear here as your enemy of the Earth, but as the Bridge between the hatred you have summoned, and the long-forgotten peace that still carries hope for revival."_

On Ji closed her eyes up on the rooftop of Praying Mantis school... her favorite hideaway during the lunch hour... sitting in her usual meditative style as she tried to recite the last scene for _OmaShu. _Even though the calm breeze of the open sky passed along her hair, it wasn't as pleasant as the girl thought it would be. On Ji felt her eyebrows crease at the middle as she attempted to block out all other worries.

"Aw, you were so close!" Kuzon's casual voice came in from her side. "It's _survival; _not _revival._"

And the little airbender blushed in meditation, but also kicking herself on the inside. As much as she tried to concentrate on her lines, something in the back of her mind was aching... trying to convince her that she had more important things to do than memorizing someone else's role.

"Oh well," On Ji opened her eyes in a sigh, feeling ultimately useless as she sadly muttered those words. Kuzon just raised a brow at her, rolling up the script in his hand just in case the girl would try to get to it.

"Oh _no _you don't," Kuzon teased, seeing On Ji turn her head to him in surprise. "We still have a couple pages left before our beautiful city is created, Miss Oma."

On Ji just breathed, without even attempting to snatch the script like she usually did. Her eyes shifted to look out into the vast courtyards of the school below them, feeling that certain headache in her mind getting bigger.

"Hey, don't you wanna make it to the end?" Kuzon looked at her in a puzzling way, seeing as this was her favorite part of the story.

"I'm sorry, Kuzon," On Ji placed a hand to the side of her temples, trying to block out a certain worry from her mind. "My head just doesn't want to cooperate today."

The boy just shook his head towards his fellow understudy, immediately bringing a hand over to grab her closest arm... and _tugging her_ back down to the ground. On Ji didn't even have time to yelp as Kuzon held her in an arm lock... and he tickled her neck teasingly, _knowing _how much she hated it.

"Kuzon, _I'm alright!_" the girl laughed like a child, trying to get out of his grasp without much attempt. Part of her was air-leaping up towards the open blue sky above them, and she wondered if Kuzon was feeling that way, too. But the tickling ended much sooner than she hoped, and On Ji carefully brought herself back into a comfortable sitting state.

"What's bugging you, 'Ji?" Kuzon asked simply, looking out further into school grounds, where the entrance to the forest could be seen. "You've been meditating a lot more often than usual."

On Ji blushed in reaction, feeling like it was so much easier to talk to Kuzon, now that it seemed comfortable being there without Aang or Haru in the picture.

Perhaps it was a mistake not telling Aang immediately about the conversation with Mr. Mechanist, or about the possible motive Azula might have behind hiring Mr. Combustion Man for the job. She'd learned about the boy's sudden dizzy spell in Nurse Yugoda's office... probably due to the stress her friend was going through... learning so many intense elements at a short amount of time. On Ji didn't want to burden the boy with more worries (at least with one she didn't fully understand yet), but she'd managed to pay Aang a visit in the Nurse's quarters anyway... where they talked about reuniting the small group of airbenders next week for a Listening workshop. It was something they were both looking forward to, as it would probably make their airbending community stronger.

But still... it boggled the little girl's mind how the first person she'd found herself running to that day was _Kuzon_. As much as she tried to explain to her fellow understudy what she thought, it wasn't the same thing as it would be with another airbender. The worst part was she had _no idea_ why Azula would volunteer to help Mr. Mechanist... or who she would be trying to hurt in the process.

And so she breathed, looking at Kuzon with her dark brown eyes, tightening her stomach to explain once again what her mind was aching about. She adored the boy so much, and in spite of the fact that they might never kiss onstage together... she could always have those rehearsals to keep her smiling and blushing.

* * *

He found her, sitting near the in-ground fountain of the school's courtyard during lunch period... exactly where the note said she would be.

Of course, it cost him a Saturday detention just to read the note... since Mr. Pakku caught the boy looking across Mai's shoulder as she wrote it to him on her sketchbook, instead of paying attention to the Geometry equations on the chalkboard. It didn't matter, anyway... because all that Jet was thinking of was seeing the pretty eyes of the girl in front of him again. Willingly.

The entire weekend had passed like a mundane holiday, not speaking a word to one another since the moment that Mai quietly left the White Lotus for home in her carriage. It wasn't to say that the Chicken & Dumplings night was a huge flop at the orphanage - the children raved about the finely-cut vegetables and meat, like it was food intended for the Spirits.

Much to their dismay, it was the familiar carriage rolling to the White Lotus's entrance that had cut Mai's experimental evening very short... escorted by none other than Governor Yazaki himself. Her father. While some of the children had gaped and awed at the appearance of the man who was the sole surveyor of their town, Jet's mouth stayed sadly closed. All that he could remember from Mai's sudden goodbye was a broken smile... a long, skeptical look from the man who followed her... and a faint look in her eyes that said _'I need some time to think'_.

_Of what, _Jet couldn't even imagine, but one thing was certain. She had never said 'no.'

He approached her casually in the courtyard, and Mai was taking her sweet time, sketching the vast detail of the gong tower above them, majestically put on top of mossy-green blocks that even after four dynasties of Fire Nation still remained in place. Jet almost snickered at her relaxed, slouching sitting pose, since it was quite strange for a girl who usually craved to be straight and serious while at work.

"So the final tall was three food spills, two lemon juice cuts, one tray of overcooked dumplings... and zero complaints," Jet informed humourously as he set down his book back next to the pale girl with the sketchbook. His heart jumped as her copper eyes moved to finally acknowledge him. "Well, okay, one complaint from Sneers, but that kid's a real picky eater. He doesn't count."

Mai grinned in response, her thin eyes still looking as opaque as ever. Much to Jet's surprise, she made a softer version of that glorious sound as she set her sketchbook aside.

"How do you deal with little monsters like that all the time?" she moved her sitting position a little closer to Jet with her hands, facing him.

"It's not so bad," the boy's said simply, "my brother's kinda the ring-leader - always looking for new ways into guilt-tripping me. But I just beat him up when he does that."

Mai just shook her head in disbelief, and her face remained stoic as she began to speak. "I have a brother, too, and he annoys the hell out of my mother."

The boy couldn't help but grin as he gazed at her. _Finally,_ he thought, _something we have in common. _"How old is he? What's his name?"

"Tom-Tom," Mai replied mostly to herself, and Jet noticed how her eyes weakly thinned themselves more into thought. "He's... oh, I don't know... almost two, I guess. I don't really care much for him."

"Don't say that," Jet heard himself say, and it made the girl wince over to him.

"What?" she questioned, curiously.

"You might regret it at some point." Jet's face was slowly turning into a serious frown, speaking to Mai as if these were his last few words on Earth. "Trust me. One day, you might wake up and realize he's the only family you got."

The girl just stared at him, puzzled by the intensity of his statement and finding ease by the sheer green color of the grass she gazed on.

"I don't see my family that way, Jet," she remarked in her husky voice.

"Fair enough," Jet looked down at the grass as well, starting to pick at the small blades to find the best thing to say next. "But it's not like your brother's done anything wrong, right?"

Mai sighed, refusing to look at those chocolate brown eyes again... afraid they would take her back to those moments after the Vice Principal's meeting.

"What's your sad, little story?" She wasn't intending to sound cruel, but it came out as a habit of her sarcasm to bring up a personal question like that. Jet managed to turn his eyes towards her, not feeling at all offended by the tone of her voice, and hoping she could face him again.

"My parents died, Mai."

Even in those few words, it was like retelling a folktale he heard vaguely from long ago. Sometimes he believed it was better that way... since remembering his parents' deaths had once made it impossible for him to sleep at night. He took a small breath to keep talking, noticing how the girl met his eyes nervously. In spite of how she must've assumed something along those lines... living in an orphanage and all... Mai did not blink once for his attention.

"But I was that stupid kid who thought he was _better_ than staying around and keeping his family close." Jet started tossing a few tiny bits of stone gravel into the fountain behind them, letting his mind search for words. "I thought I was clever, leaving him in the White Lotus so I could run off and be a free man. God, I wasn't even_ ten years old_... can you believe it?"

It felt strange, as he couldn't remember the last time he had spoken so personally to a girl. It was almost captivating to see Mai in front of him, listening with all of her good intentions... and Jet's voice became much more casual. Like a great amount of weight had fallen from his shoulders.

"And it's funny, too, because I wandered off into so many places, but no matter what kind of trouble I got into... or what pretty girl I met along the way..." Jet lingered to see Mai's reaction, watching her purse her lips humorously. "...I couldn't stop thinking about my little brother and how I left him. So I came back, because I felt like I owed it to him."

"Did he recognize you?" Mai asked with her husky voice slightly broken.

Jet laughed. "I came back as a hero! He was five years old, and thought I was the coolest thing to show up at the White Lotus."

"So you're still around to make sure he doesn't do anything stupid?"

"Yeah... plus it wouldn't hurt to compete for the school dance competitions." Jet grinned, still looking over to Mai's uncertainty in her eyes. "What about you? Who keeps you going?"

"Myself."

Jet just blinked, clearly expecting more from the girl who looked towards the grass with so much intensity in her eyes. _Give her time, _he thought, _she'll open up. She just needs to breathe._

"At least that's how I can remember it, when all I did was draw," Mai tilted her head over to her sketchbook lying on the grass, placing a hand on it like it had a heartbeat. "When my parents sent me to the Royal Fire Academy for Girls, things got more complicated. It was all for their own selfish reasons, and I still don't know how they got to me... but they _did. _They told me to stay quiet and behave like a lady. I felt punished, like I wasn't supposed to say or feel anything. So I stopped caring."

"Mai, shut up."

"_What?_"

"See? You _do_ care," Jet managed to say before her eyebrows arched. "I just think it's been a while since you let yourself feel for people. You've been using _this_ too much."

Jet leaned over to pick up the sketchbook from the ground, taking the liberty of skimming through a few pages he hadn't noticed before. As he had already guessed, most of them were of dark ink, of young women with long flowing dresses overlooking a vast canyon. Alone.

"I prefer it, actually."

"And that's fine_, _because it's all _brilliant_... now that you're using cooler subject matter," he turned further into the pages to find the familiar drawings of the Kalmian swamp, drenched with so many colors of nature. "But don't let that shut you out of the world, Sharpy. I think we _both_ know you cried a little when you thought I died."

"I did not cry."

"_Suuure_ you did."

"Stop that!" she scoffed, but looking at him as she did when he'd asked her to dance. Jet shook his head teasingly, giving them a minute to compose themselves.

As they sat there quietly, they both turned over to the fountain behind them, taking an interest in seeing their undulant reflections on the water.

"So... what's the verdict, Sharpy?" Jet tossed the rest of his pieces of gravel into the fountain, bringing all of his attention to the pale girl's copper eyes. "Should I start packing my things and check out other schools for tomorrow?"

Mai grinned, noticing the boy's hand move as it gracefully linger from the ledge of the fountain to touch the water. She didn't even see the small splatter of droplets coming... and her grin became a sudden, almost too-defensive flinch as she felt those bits of cold water hit her cheeks.

Her hands quickly flew in front to grab Jet's arm, preventing any second attempt from spraying her again. Playfully, he struggled to get out of her grip, but with Mai's keen blocking strategy it all seemed useless. He surrendered, frowning but laughing softly to her face.

"The dinner wasn't what I expected," Mai finally said, composing herself to him, "But I think it was... fun."

Jet's grin widened, and he leaned an ear closer to her. "Can you say that again, please?"

"It was _fun_, Jet," she reiterated with a roll of her eyes, wiping the tiny presence of water from her cheeks. "I had fun."

The boy breathed, feeling his blood rush to his throat as Mai declared... perhaps in her own unique choice of words... that she trusted him. He carefully found the hand that helping her sit up, and managed to brush his fingers casually over her own like piano keys.

"Does this mean we can keep talking, without you wanting to kill me?"

Although she looked down at Jet's hand and slowly wrapped her fingers around it, Mai's eyes couldn't face the boy's immediately. As she brought her head up to overlook the courtyard in sincere thought, she sighed.

"Jet, please." Mai involuntarily let her bangs overshadow the dark copper in her eyes then, feeling the harsh husky voice leave her throat. "I'm... I'm not _right _for you."

"Mai--"

"People are _staring_ _at us_." It was suddenly then that her whispering voice acknowledged the few other students lounging in the courtyard, the occasional sets of eyes moving towards the pair sitting near the fountain. "They think this is a _joke_."

"_To hell _with that," Jet whispered to her in an edgy voice.

"It was bad_ enough_ seeing my father at the White Lotus." Mai's eyes began to glisten as her husky voice whispered. "He acted like he was _rescuing_ me from some circus I didn't belong--"

"Sharpy, just tell me what_ you_ think. That's all I need." Jet kept his eyes on her, eliminating the dozens of eyes that seemed to be staring like leopard-hawks as he moved himself closer.

The breeze was picking up, and as Mai fully turned her eyes to him, a few stray strands of her hair brushed against the boy's cheeks, making him grin involuntarily.

"I think you're brave, or just a _complete nutcase _for doing this," she looked at his calm face and felt her cheeks warm up. "But... I'm grateful."

Jet didn't say a word, but slowly caught some of the flowing strands with his fingers, and Mai timidly shifted her eyes to the ground, finally realizing just how close his chocolate brown eyes were. She was already recognizing the scent of pine as the breeze passed through his hair, and a dozen images were slowly recapturing themselves in her mind. Most of them dealing with an unnecessary chase in the woods.

And Jet gazed at her, his face practically moving closer by instinct, and he daringly let his nose touch hers gently for what seemed forever. Mai's heartbeats quickened, her mind debating whether to move closer or further away from the boy's touch.

"Smile for me?" he whispered to her like a trembling prayer, his heart racing inside.

Jet's eyes closed, while Mai kept hers very open and awake... even as he brushed his nose over to her cheek, bringing his lips with so much gentleness and grace to the very corner of her mouth. And the result was instantaneous. The thin, firm lips of hers softened, and Mai could feel the warmth of the boy's breath against her own skin. She eventually grinned, and Jet felt it at the same corner he had so courageously touched.

That was when Mai closed her eyes as well, carefully bringing her lips over for a real kiss. One that Jet had foolishly dreamt about for so long, and now foolishly embraced with every fiber of his being.

It wasn't long before the loud clanging of the school gong would flinch them back into reality, almost inches from falling towards the fountain. Mai regained herself in a laugh, while Jet just smiled at her, nervously and mesmerized. They were so still, in spite of how the people around them seemed to move faster and faster from each sound of the gong.

"We'll talk later, okay?" Her husky voice said, so overwhelmed yet soothing that Jet could still feel the warmth of her lips.

"Absolutely," Jet managed, kissing her lightly on the cheek for a respectful goodbye.

As Mai helped herself up from the ground to take her leave, the Earth-dweller suddenly remembered his ridiculous detention... and he smiled to the air, thinking it had all been worthwhile.

And what they had both failed to notice was the young, radiantly-dressed princess of the Fire Nation who had strolled by in the courtyard with some speech papers, stopping almost dead in her tracks as she watched Mai exit the courtyard with such a smile on her pale face. Azula frowned momentarily, her insides twisting up with rage as she realized that her plan to take Mai back had ultimately failed.

_Of course, she knew Mai would bear witness against the brutal airbenders' ceremony, with all of that effort that pale girl made in blocking the princess's attacks in the woods. So Azula did the only unbearable thing she could imagine; she chose to humiliate Mai by telling Vice Principal Zhao (in exaggeration, of course) the best-kept secret of this stoic, lethal-looking girl. Azula knew how much it would break her... hearing Zhao talk about her self-inflicting use for knives... and the princess expected Mai to confront her about it. _

_Azula even had her explanation planned out, saying how she was _so heart-broken _by the way Mai had betrayed her trust, that a fit of anger led her to say those things to Zhao. She imagined her devastated by that gossip that would spread like wild-fire... begging for Azula to trust her again... to help end those rumors so she could hide from the world once more. _

_It's what Azula was counting on, to regain such a valuable comrade for this campaign._

But the woman bit her lip to keep herself steady, watching like a deadly moose-lion as that Earth-dweller casually got up from the ground.

She knew she had lost Mai forever. And _somebody _was going to pay.

* * *

**A/N - Now I know what you're thinking: Where is Aang, and what happened after he woke up from that nap in Katara's arms? Haha... patience, young grasshopper... all in good time. Because of the title of this chapter, I was almost gonna put a scene between Zuko and Azula, but it all crumbled down to unnecessary dialogue. And I'll say it again. I love Jet & Mai!!! --- MM**


	26. Speak

"Thanks for coming, guys."

Aang let the cool breeze from atop of the school roof grace him out of his nervousness. An Earthbending Football game was happening at full-swing right in the distant field, and Aang had easily spotted Toph's miniature form among the Praying Mantis players. He was just sad he couldn't cheer her on with the other kids, watching them take on the brown and gray-uniformed masses of Foggy Swamp High School.

Instead, the young Avatar-in-Training stood in the center of a circle full of familiar faces, sitting around him on the school roof in their own meditative styles, just as he had instructed earlier.

"Hey, whatever gets me out of taking Jeong Jeong make-up exam," Loung side-commented, by which Suganya just shut her eyes skeptically. The kid with dreadlocks glancing over to Xai in the circle. "Where's your little brother?"

Xai threw a grunt at him, resting his chin with his head. "He's taking _Shaolin_ lessons at this private academy after school, now. Man... I wish I had _that excuse."_

On Ji had her eyes to her toes, feeling somewhat uncomfortable about the sulky kid sitting across from her in the circle. Maybe it was because his scarred head hadn't properly healed into a natural skin tone… and because his eyes were thinning as if he were going through a permanent migraine. Or maybe it was just because he was the only kid in the circle who'd been scarred visibly from their last reunion. This was really weird.

It was the only period of the day that Aang could see them together, and after a careful talk with Avatar Roku the day before, he seemed to know why he needed this time with them. Time was a very precious thing, all of a sudden, as the student elections for the school was happening only less than a month from now.

"Um… so before I talk about the workshop, I just wanted to tell you some news," Aang braced himself. "I talked to Principal Roku."

"Wait, he's _here?_" Xai didn't hold his excitement back, and Aang flinched before turning his head to him.

"No!" Aang gestured for him to calm down. "He's meeting with the Earth King right now… something about Fire Lord Azulon trying to bust through the Ba Sing Se wall."

"Hold on a minute," Suganya raised a full eyebrow with makeup, her green eyes almost imitating the green grass of the courtyards below them. "Then how did he get in touch with you? Vice Principal Zhao never shares_ that _kind of information… and messenger hawks take _weeks_ to get from Ba Sing Se."

"It happened when I fell into a dizzy spell the other day." Aang could feel lumps in his throat as he gulped an explanation. "He… _spoke _to me_._"

The staring was inevitable, and only On Ji seemed to keep her eyes a decent size as Aang scanned the circle of kids around him. By everyone else's standards, they might as well have been listening to a giant purple platypus bear on its hind legs

Aang just shook his head, trying to brush the word '_freak'_ from his mind as he kept talking.

"He's going to get here as soon as he can, and he wants the airbenders to watch out for the students just like the teachers do. I thought… maybe it would help if you learned about…Listening."

"_Listening!?_"

Xai grit his teeth as he said the word, clearly catching its inner-meaning by the way his neck seemed to be popping veins in front of everyone.

As taken-aback as she was, On Ji looked at him curiously. "You know about it?"

"_Of course I know about it!_" Xai responded in a flustered voice, moving himself a few inches out of the circle with a slight look of fear in his eyes. "It nearly drove my dad _crazy_… _hearing all these voices and shit…_ he did counseling for _years _to get out of that mental illness he had."

"It's not an _illness_," Aang was defensive but he tried to sound reasonable, remembering how Monk Gyatso would deal with any overbearing situation at the Temple. "It's supposed to be a meditative, peaceful airbending technique."

"_Peaceful, my ass!_" Xai's vulgarity was making Brei An flinch out of her meditative pose like a clumsy mess. "I already got my head _burnt to a_ _crisp _trying to deal with you guys…I'm not gonna crush whatever brain cells I have for this_ mumbo-jumbo._"

"Xai, quit it." Suganya threw back as the badly-scarred boy was getting up from the ground across from him. "You're not the only one who got hurt back there. If Principal Roku wants us to look after the school, we gotta work as a team to make sure other kids don't get hurt by Azula!"

Seeing how Suganya didn't take the Fire Nation brat's mannerisms so sensitively, Aang could finally let his stomach tighten to speak once again.

"Listening is the only safe way we can talk with one another," Aang explained himself further in the circle, trying to not sound so hard-pressed to Xai. "We can locate anybody at Praying Mantis who is in trouble."

"So, we'll be like the school's safety patrol," Loung brushed a hand to his dreads, "but better?"

Brei An's pale, freckled hands were fumbling at her skirt fabric nervously. "I don't know if I want to read other people's minds," she said in her fragile voice of uncertainty.

"It's nothing like that," Aang explained. "Listening deals with understanding a person's inner emotional self. You'll be 'seeing' what they're going through, and you can find out if somebody's in trouble."

"Or if somebody's about to _start _trouble," On Ji pointed out cleverly, and Aang exchanged a small nod to her.

"All airbenders have the ability to Listen, but I want us to be able to Speak to each other, first." The young boy with the blue arrow glanced at each of their faces, taking the most time with Xai. "That way we can communicate without anyone else knowing about it."

Aang brought himself back to a sitting position in the center, already hearing the distant cheers of the Earthbending Football game commencing in the field. The airbenders around him kept their sitting poses graceful and professional, with Xai grunting and taking a few seconds longer. Suganya tried to ignore Xai's sullen faces, watching Loung suddenly beam up.

"So _that's _why we're meeting here! So we can try and _tune out_ the Football noise!" The kid's dreadlocks practically sprung with excitement, and Brei An shyly closed her eyes next to him.

"Genius, Loung. Pure genius," Xai muttered, shutting his eyes in annoyance.

"Anyway," Aang tried not to chuckle as he closed his own eyes, "the noise is the tricky part. Try to block every single voice you hear from your mind, and concentrate on Speaking to one person's mind. Suganya, pair up with Loung. Xai, you'll be with Brei An."

The timid girl gazed awkwardly back to her skirt at the sound of her name, but Aang just moved his eyes to On Ji, as she was the only one without a partner. It just seemed natural that this quiet-yet-determined little girl would stare back to her friend, as if accepting to be his partner with nothing but a nod to the head.

"Okay," Aang continued his lesson with all the formality he could muster, blocking the outer sounds of the game. "Now everyone take breath, close your eyes... and let the open air take every single thought from your head. Clear your mind."

"Um, would it be okay if I hummed a song?" Brei An's voice shyly intruded the circle, and everyone opened their eyes oddly to her. "I... I always like to sing while I meditate."

Loung snorted a laugh, but On Ji elbowed him at the side to stop.

"Sure," Aang shrugged, looking over to Brei An in a smile. On Ji was delighted, too, realizing how these supposed strangers were now becoming more comfortable in their own skin.

* * *

"Yue. Hey... wait up."

It was half-time in the Earthbending Football game, and Sokka was only trying to look for Suki among the many lovely-painted Kyoshi faces that were dancing out in the field to honor their past Avatar and woman of the Earth. He had managed to talk to Suki just once since that dreadful incident with the letter, but even in that short minute they'd crossed paths between classes one day... he could tell the sparkle in her green eyes were gone. The letter had wounded her, and Sokka's throat had almost dried up, unable to get a full sentence in. He couldn't even remember what he'd said besides 'I'll explain everything, I swear.'

He knew that wasn't what Suki wanted to hear... and it made him feel even worse.

All that Sokka wanted to do was have _more _than a minute with Suki, and not feel like she was deliberately avoiding him. Saying what he felt was becoming much harder than he realized, but Sokka knew that the Earthbending football game was a perfect time to run into Suki.

But he'd _never, ever_ planned to see the familiar waterbender with delicately white hair pass him among the spectators, watching her leave the game early in her water tennis gear. She must've been heading out for a practice... and Sokka felt goosebumps slowly form in the back of his knees as the pretty girl turned to wave at him.

This was wrong. This was going to look really, _really _bad... but Sokka knew that if he didn't set things straight with Yue by the end of that afternoon, he'd regret it. And it was becoming very awkward working with Suki in _OmaShu _rehearsals, without exchanging a single word. The play wasn't for another _month!_

Yue stopped in her tracks, and turned to where Sokka's voice had called for her.

"I... um... I gotta talk to you."

The Watertribe princess widened her blue eyes all too quickly. "What's wrong? Is Katara alright?"

"Yeah, yeah. She's fine... but, um..." Sokka stared awkwardly towards the football field, noting how the girls were almost finishing the routine, with the Praying Mantis cheerleaders lining up to take their positions. One look at their head cheerleader - the pink social butterfly named Ty Lee - made Sokka almost cringe back towards Yue. "Could... could we maybe talk in Coach Bumi's Earth Rumbling court?"

Yue just stared at him oddly, as she'd been lucky enough play in that arena only once in her entire stay at Praying Mantis... and did not intend to break her arm a second time just for fun.

"Or we can just talk down the tunnel. I just really need you in private," Sokka scratched his head nervously and skimmed through the books into his messenger bag as a habit, tugging at Yue's sleeve to get her going a certain way.

"Sure. Okay," the girl's tranquil voice, not wanting to give this boy more stress than he already had. They both walked away from the grand Earthbending Football field, away from all the cheers and voices, down a stone tunnel that plummeted into the ground... the only entrance to Coach Bumi's masterpiece of an arena.

The green crystals that popped out of the rock every few yards eventually became the only source of light, and Sokka made sure than he was at least a foot away from Yue as they walked together. This was becoming really strange.

"Sokka? I think we're okay, now," Yue assured to him by the darkness of the tunnel and the entrance of light that was at least a quarter of a football-field away. She felt her bare legs shaking from that cold enclosed space, but refused to express that it was his fault, as the boy turned to look at her finally. "What did you want to say to me?"

"Yue... I mean, Princess Yue..." Sokka frowned, hating the way he was stalling so much. He grabbed hold of his bag tighter, feeling like his toes were suddenly becoming numb. His heart skipped a beat. "_Oh my God._"

"What?" Her voice approached him, concerned and confused. "What is it?"

"This is... this is exactly how it happened," Sokka muttered to himself, scratching his wolf-tail as he looked up at the high ceiling of the tunnel, mesmerized.

"How _what _happened?" The girl turned a full circle to try and answer her own question, but all she could see was rock and shadows, and small hints of crystal. "Sokka, you're not making any sense."

"In my _dream_!" Sokka's voice cracked, and his eyes rose like saucers as he looked back at Princess Yue, as if she were no less than an untouchable, beautiful spirit. Perhaps even the entrancing replica of the Moon Spirit herself. "We met in this really dark tunnel... and...."

"Sokka," Yue's voice faded as she stared at him, terrified by the way Sokka's eyes were meeting hers all of a sudden. "You're scaring me."

"...and we kissed."

"We _what?_" The girl immediately took a step back, keeping her entire body close from the great rush of coldness that went through her. It was like this familiar face... this silly, brainy brother of her waterbending team-mate... had suddenly transformed into a stranger.

"But... you disappeared. It's like you turned into thin air the moment I... I tried to hold you." Sokka looked elsewhere, noticing the fear in Yue's eyes as she crossed her arms uncomfortably. His voice had soon calmed down. "And then I woke up."

The two of them kept a short distance between them, letting Sokka's next few words make a slight echo along the walls of the tunnel.

"That's why I couldn't stop thinking about you."

Yue just stared out towards the entrance light, feeling like it could relieve her from the awful shivering and nervousness she was enduring in her bare legs. For some reason, however, the girl did not feel afraid of the boy who'd just poured these cryptic feelings out of his heart. Even if it hadbeen just a dream, Yue felt the intensity in his stance, in his frowning face... like he'd been battling these ideas... a possibility of _them_... for much longer than he anticipated.

The princess could do nothing else but breathe the cold air that was making this situation more and more awkward by the second.

"Sokka, are you trying to say..." Her voice was calm. Fragile, but frightened. A small hint of green was tinted in her blue eyes as she looked back to him. "... that you're in _love _with me?"

"Princess--"

"_Yue,_" she corrected, narrowing her eyes towards him. "My name is Yue, Sokka. You are my friend... a good friend... just as much as Katara. Every winter solstice, you would visit me up in the North, and we would all play and throw snowballs before the Grand Supper... remember?"

She took a small breath, debating whether or not to approach her classmate in the darkness. Something in her mind told her to keep still. To not encourage the boy from making any rash decisions at the moment.

"I have always been your _friend._"

Sokka heard the voice of that delicate, yet very bold girl echo along the walls of the tunnel... almost not blinking as he felt the intensity of her spoken mind. He could barely remember how to breathe as he stared at Yue... slowly recollecting the faint images of her as a simple child, and how much fun he, Katara, and countless other Southern kids brought to this girl's lonely life.

It was the reason she had fought so hard against the schooling traditions of the North, in order that she could study abroad at Praying Mantis High.

The watertribesman sighed, smiling over to this willful princess as if through a whole new light. No... she wasn't just a Princess, nor would she ever be an untouchable spirit that could fade out of grasp unexpectedly. The dream... and the inevitable feelings carried by it... was only supposed to be just that. A dream. And it would always remain in the same place, as fragile as dust.

But Sokka didn't mind. He greatly preferred having her as a friend, anyway.

"I think I get it, now," Sokka grinned goofily out of his awkwardness, then lunged forward to hug the girl without any hesitation. She yelped but warmed up to the boy's arms soon after, knowing they had finally seen eye-to-eye.

Yue was about to say something else... but then a voice from the far entrance froze her once again. It was faint, but she looked over to see not just one soft-toned silhouette... but four of them descending into the tunnel.

Sokka looked over that way as well, puzzled. Why would students want practice Earth Rumbling so early in the year, with the season being in the summer?

But one distant velvety voice soon came into existence. A voice that both Sokka and Yue knew all too well... along with a couple of henchmen behind her, and the image of someone being pushed forcefully for some sort of questioning. They were heading into the tunnel fast.

"_Crap!_" Sokka exclaimed, reaching to tug at his wolf-tail in a panic. "Azula chose _this place _for her secret interrogation facility!? She's gonna kill us!"

And that's when Yue narrowed her eyes with an idea.

"Clutch your bag. _Tightly._" With just a small glance up towards the ceiling as if measuring the distance, Yue brought out her arms in a waterbending stance.

The delicately-carved hairpieces attached to her braids, the bracelets around her wrists, and the thick anklets hanging above her feet instantly made themselves present before Sokka's amazed eyes... as he watched thin threads of water be summoned by each of those places. They were the cleverest form of liquid concealment the boy had ever seen... almost making his sister's Southern water-bending pouch look laughably primitive.

Yue was graceful about it, taking no more than a few seconds to waterbend these threads of water into thick ropes... then wrapping the water ropes around both of their bodies, like half-a cocoon... and finally launching ropes of that water up towards the ceiling like an unbreakable glob of glue.

Sokka didn't even have time to gasp, as the next thing he knew, he was trapped up in the ceiling in a pure net of ice. With Yue at his side, they held their breath and looked straight down at the familiar trio of Fire Nation nobles as they brought in a staggering, lanky boy as their victim.

* * *

"So what do you think?"

Katara was holding her wavy brown hair up to make a pony-tail, heading out the school's theater doors with Haru as he had just finished his Drama Club meeting. For almost half an hour, this young waterbender had managed to descriptively list the extraordinary things that _The Tale of OmaShu _could offer as a message for diversity, and she hoped that the great director himself would be up for changing his original vision.

"It would bring the school a whole lot closer by the time elections came around," Katara's voice did not lose its enthusiasm one bit, "and we could demonstrate a ton of cultural passion in the students. Like... like the Kyoshi warriors and their dancing... and Zuko and his amazing _Shaolin_ fire-tumbling... and we could bring the incredible Toph herself to show just how great of an Earthbender she is..."

"Okay, Katara!" Haru hushed his friend amusingly, almost afraid that she would choke out of her lack to breathing. The young man was writing some notes on his clipboard, tapping his pencil against his cheek for a moment's thought. "I love the idea, and I don't think it would change the story of _OmaShu_ by a lot... but are you _sure_ that every one of these people would be up for it?"

"Of course," Katara said rather quickly. "They're my friends, Haru, and they're backing me up on my mission no matter what."

"As am I," he shook his head with sincere disbelief at how hopeful this girl could become at times. "But I'm just telling you... being able to perform onstage isn't the most pleasant thing for everyone."

They were walking towards the Earthbending Football field, hearing the huge crowd of cheering spectators get closer and closer. Katara's sapphire blue eyes were not reflecting radiantly by the sun, and Haru was just glad to see his usually-stressed out friend look so happy and free about her idea.

"I'll keep asking around," the girl finally secured her pony-tail for the water-bending lesson, "Toph said she'd _love _any excuse to Earthbend indoors, and Suki– well, the Kyoshi warriors seemed to like the idea. And I know Zuko's training hard for his _Shaolin _tournament, but he said he wouldn't mind helping me... as long as I don't make him play the drums. Stupid boy."

Haru chuckled a little bit, continuing to write a few things on his clipboard paper. His thin mustache twitched slightly as he turned back to Katara with a question.

"What about Aang?"

Katara blinked, letting go of her pony-tail instantly as they walked. "Oh, you mean the airbenders?"

The Earthbender narrowed his eyes for a moment, wondering what had made Katara so jumpy all of a sudden. Considering that her enthusiasm had just been so calm and undisturbed, Haru felt that he shouldn't press whatever was the matter with her.

"Yeah, we should ask the airbenders to perform," Haru concluded. "I think they have an incredible show of talent this school might not even realize."

Katara looked away, towards the cheering crowd ahead of them. She felt a strange tingling sensation of goosebumps along the back of her neck, and Katara couldn't help but wonder about Aang, and what he must have been doing at that moment. It was slightly uncomfortable... like that rush of cold that would hit her bare feet whenever she playfully stepped into the moat in the tennis court... and yet, the feeling was so peaceful. So warm.

For a moment, all she could think about was Aang's goofy smile, and how she watched him sleep so dreamily in Nurse Yugoda's clinic that day.

"Anyway, I'll write down some changes in the script and tell the cast the next time we have a full rehearsal," Haru attempted to say to Katara, but knowing full well she was not entirely there. "Have a good practice!"

Before she knew it, Haru had waved a quick hand for goodbye and strolled off into the crowd of faithful Praying Mantis cheerful supporters.

"Bye," Katara said softly to herself, still feeling slight discomfort in her own skin. But with a small intake of breath, she gathered her thoughts and walked briskly towards the water-tennis court to meet with Coach Hama ontime, for once.

As she passed one of the bulletin boards of the school, however, another poster caught her eye. It didn't have an image of Azula, thank goodness, but Katara read the bold handwriting that marked '_Student Body Electoral Candidates'_ at the very top.

Her heart started to beat faster, knowing that this announcement very much concerned her. Slowly, she read the remaining text of the poster:

'_All candidates running for Student Body Vice President and President shall be required to deliver a school-wide speech, to be scheduled no later than one week before the voting period. _

_This speech shall be the candidates' individual opportunity to defend their knowledge and capability for the position they are running for, to assure to the entire school board and student body that their service to the school shall be for the best of their intentions._

_All candidates should meet with their fellow sponsors, to schedule a speech assembly with Vice Principal Zhao as soon as possible._

Katara could feel the blood drain from her fingertips, noting the official Praying Mantis stamp of approval at the very corner of the poster.

This wasn't a joke. She _had _to make a speech in front of the entire school in less than a _month!_ Her knees almost buckled, and Katara grabbed the poster from the bulletin to make sure it was real. Of course, she'd made dozens of speeches and presentations in her classes... _but why was this simple speech assignment making her teeth chatter?_

The massive crowd of cheers in the football field suddenly did not sound so pleasant anymore, and Katara placed all her strength in walking towards the tennis courts again... trying _really hard_ to forget about the eloquent, mesmerizing voice of Azula.

* * *

"Your name is Longshot, correct?"

Sokka caught the softness of Azula's voice clearly from below, pricking his ears like needles. He looked over at the corner of his eye as Yue remained frozen to him at the ceiling, watching her scowl by the familiarity of that voice. The two men who'd followed Azula inside the tunnel had to be Chan and Rion Jon… and Sokka cringed, remembering those bullying fire-benders who'd forced him to donate his Math homework.

He clenched his fist over the ice that held his body up in the ceiling, watching that Oak Tree kid get pushed and stagger towards the floor on his knees. There was no coincidence as to why Sokka'd trained himself as a capable warrior all those years, and why he always carried a certain grudge for fire-benders.

_Trouble always seemed to trail behind them… didn't it?_

"You managed to stop two of my most trusted friends in the pursuit in the forest by sheer boldness from your arrows?"

Azula kept taunting the scrawny boy as he was cowering over towards the ground, with Rion Jon holding him in place. It looked like the princess had kicked Longshot in the stomach, and Sokka exchanged a worried glance with Yue, wondering what that crazy woman was talking about.

"You nod proudly, and yet you don't speak a word. Perhaps it is because you're thinking of someone else in this entire matter? Someone you're deeply _fond of_?"

Azula grinned at the mockery of her own voice, watching as Longshot's thin eyes became terrified, with his head bolting up to her. Boys were so predictable sometimes... and of course, she didn't know the exact _name_ of this particular girl, but that was the least of her concern. She crossed her arms in full determination, looking over to the trembling young boy before continuing her narrative.

Yue and Sokka trembled as well, hidden up in the dark ceiling of the tunnel… not exactly sure how long the ice could hold their weight. But they intended to listen, nevertheless.

"I'm curious... does she know about your past?" Azula approached the cowering Longshot without a trace of caution. "How your Fire Nation family once lived in glorious pride as overseers of the Yu Yen archery camps, under my great-grandfather's regime? Fire Lord Sozin had hoped to train fine palace guards through these camps, and your elders _knew_ it was a dangerous risk occupying foreign territory... but they did. They even _hid their identities _as Earth Kingdom dwellers, for the goodness of their family and the future of the Fire Nation. They _believed_ in my great-grandfather's mission, didn't they?"

Longshot could hear the faint heartbeats in his chest, allowing himself to still breathe under such a coated lie that this Princess was making him listen to. It was such a clever one, too... and had the young archer not known better... he could've already seen himself fall into this woman's deadly eloquent trap.

"Whether you admit to it or not, you _are_ Fire Nation by blood. And a loyal one." The princess laid a firm hand to the archer, as if he were a long-time comrade of hers. Her golden eyes did not blink once. "You can achieve great honor by helping me _win _this election, supporting the rightful place to our culture."

Yue heard Sokka gulp nervously at her side, and she felt her insides churning by those eloquent words that the Fire Nation princess dared to speak. It was a trap that this girl had understood far too well from experience… and Yue wanted nothing more but to hurt Azula for it.

The ice was slowly beginning to crack.

Azula narrowed her gaze to the restrained boy, waiting for him to make even the slightest note of an answer. The blank stare that Longshot made almost fascinated the girl. Azula couldn't help but study him intriguingly, as she would a small, lifeless doll with so much unnecessary color.

His words came out like a mumbling, un-tuned instrument.

"My family was never loyal."

Azula felt her eyes blink, appalled. "Excuse me?"

"Avatar Roku told my parents the truth," Longshot's words were now as clear as crystal, in spite of his restraint, and Sokka and Yue could only hear it in pieces. "The Fire Lord was usingYu Yen to try and infiltrate the Earth Kingdom, so they gladly shut down the camps without question. We didn't want to be the cause of an international war, and Azulon _stripped _usof a good name and _banished _us into the Earth Kingdom as penniless thieves."

He paused for a moment as Azula's lips pursed in disdain.

"How could we ever be loyal to someone like that?" Longshot finally added rhetorically.

_Someone who would leave two incredible people to die by starvation, in hopes of keeping four little hungry boys alive. _

The boy wasn't about to let one dangerously-clever lie make him forget what he'd been through.

Azula read the mute sarcasm in his voice, and it almost made her eyebrows twitch. Chan involuntarily uncrossed his arms while he stood beside his princess, desiring to punch the kid in the face. Instead, Azula raised a hand for Chan to stop, and Rion Jon gripped the boy harder by the arms.

"I see," she reprimanded in her velvety voice, amused to have this small pawn believing he could frighten a woman of her stature. "Well, since there is no use convincing you otherwise, it will be best to insure that your craft is _temporarily _lost, for the sake of my campaign. A shame nobody will be here to rescue you, with all this Football nonsense."

One cunning nod was all Rion Jon needed from her. One nod… to twist the boy's good arm, and then hear an instant crack... to bring an unimaginable cry of pain by the mute archer.

Longshot braced himself for the worst as Azula stepped back. She crossed her arms empathetically, and was just about to give the signal to Rion Jon, when a small cracking sound from above caught the clarity of her ears.

Sokka didn't even have time to yelp as the Fire Nation princess shot her head upwards.

* * *

Dozens of minutes passed atop of the Praying Mantis roof, and only the sound of Brei An's lovely singing voice was noted within that small circle of kids.

Perhaps it was all due to her airbending ability, but hearing Brei An hum such an elongated melody seemed to pass by them as tranquilly as the faint afternoon breeze. The Earthbending Football game was practically miles and miles away now.

As the minutes stretched almost into an hour, Aang felt himself releasing his thoughts, slowly... like the many points Toph was scoring out there in the football field... and about memorizing those last few lines in _OmaShu _play... that dreadful math exam Mr. Pakku was torturing the students about for days... and the horrible, _horrible_ ideas that Azula was putting together for Katara by the time elections would come. His mind was at ease just by those beautiful blue eyes that gazed at him in such darkness, and with one breath, he let all of those thoughts of Katara float away like tiny dandelion seeds... just for a moment.

For this opportunity to speak to someone else.

..._ and when Haru said that he wanted us completely memorized by next week, I almost growled. He doesn't get it! People's lives are in danger, and all he's thinking about is this silly play._

At first, he thought it was his imagination, like the wind had whispered against his floppy ears... and Aang twitched in reaction. But he didn't open his eyes. He knew he couldn't have dreamt up such clear words like that... much less in a nervous, young familiar voice that had fallen into his head like drops of water in an empty glass.

Aang smiled. _On Ji, I happen to like that silly play, and so do you! _

He heard the same girl gasp within the circle, ignoring Xai's voice in the distance that remarked '…the _hell?_' as Aang kept his eyes closed and focused.

_Aang! You can hear me!? _

The boy didn't have to see to know On Ji was smiling as she Spoke. The darkness of his mind was building up into something he could only describe as an intricate web of threads. Threads of the softest light Aang had ever seen, moving and turning with her every word… creating just a _portion _of her mind. By the way the lines moved – gracefully, with an occasional jump - Aang could see what she was feeling.

_This is really, really creepy… _Aang couldn't hold his enthusiasm, either… _but it's SO AWESOME!_

His heart was racing in his chest, too nervous and excited to keep this incredible gift a secret. How were the other airbenders doing with this incredible session? It was all Aang could wonder outside of his meditation, but he wasn't about to let his conversation with On Ji go. His eyes stayed shut, trying to understand the threads of On Ji's mind that he was witnessing.

_So has, um, Hide been bothering you again?_

The threads of light suddenly moved faster as Aang let the words reach On Ji. He concentrated more on her feelings, and the boy could faintly hear a girl panting under her breath like an echo… then a body hitting against a metallic row of lockers.

He tried not to question it right away… as Aang knew, according to Monk Gyatso… that it's difficult for a Listener to differentiate between a person's actual memories and just their thoughts. Instead, Aang waited for On Ji's response, regardless of the many seconds it took.

_The worst he's done is push me aside to get to class ontime. _

Aang felt a certain hesitation in her, but the echoing voice kept on.

_I get more nervous whenever he sees me with Kuzon... but I'm watching my back. How is Katara? _

Her question came unexpected, and Aang almost lost his mode of focus completely. Relaxing his muscles and taking another breath, the boy gathered a few of his thoughts about what he'd been through with Katara.

_Man, she's an amazing waterbender, On Ji… _Aang felt his heart sink in his chest._ I think... I accidentally said that I loved her last week._

_WHAT? _

On Ji's mind threads had jumped a storm.

_It's the reason I got so dizzy and ended up in the nurse's office! Katara carried me over there, and before I knew it, I was talking to Avatar Roku in my sleep! My head must've been so clear--_

_But what did Katara say?_

Aang grunted, wondering if his feelings had already reached On Ji.

_Nothing. By the time I woke up, the nurse said she left with the Fire Nation prince. _

He could hear the bitterness in his own spiritual voice, but the girl's threads slowly fell back into a calm, graceful state. On Ji Spoke to him with ease.

_I think she's nervous._

_Or she probably thinks I'm the dumbest little kid in the WORLD! _He felt his stomach growl.

_Aang, it's going to be fine! Girls can be strange about those things… if you give her some time, she'll open up to you. _On Ji's voice faded away just for a moment, and soon it came back with another happy tone. _At least you told her how you felt._

That's when the young boy opened his eyes. On Ji was still off in her meditation, with her eyes scrunched closed as if she were enduring a papercut. The cheers out in the football field were gradually returning to his ears, but Aang kept his focus to the circle of dedicated airbenders. He looked at Xai's uncomfortable frown, Brei An's hopeful expression to focus, and the way Loung's eyebrows twitched as if receiving an intriguing message from an imaginary friend.

Sifu Aang couldn't help but grin at his accomplishment, feeling like luck was finally on his side. As he turned back to see On Ji's face, a part of him sensed that strange connection between their minds… and Aang dared to clear his head and Speak.

_On Ji, you gotta see this. Look at everyone's face. It's working! _

The girl revealed her chocolate brown eyes to the sunlight, faintly hearing Brei An's song, and the football cheers in the distance as the Kyoshi dancers were beginning their traditional half-time praise to the Earthbending game. On Ji's eyes met Aang's, and as she looked around the handful of airbenders in deep concentration... it was like a weight had happily left her shoulders.

_Do you think we should Speak to them? _

The idea sounded too good to pass up as Aang heard it through On Ji's delicate spiritual voice in his head, seeing her smile in the daylight, and the scar hiding under her bangs. Aang turned to Suganya, while On Jil ooked over to Brei An. The little daredevil girl didn't waste time trying to cut into Brei An and Xai's conversation, but Aang suddenly stopped to stare at Suganya's strange expression.

She was frowning, perhaps from whatever Loung had just said to her... but there was something else about it. Like a irritating, irrevocable buzzing at the ear she was trying so hard to endure, and understand. The girl's lovely Kyoshi makeup distorted rigidly as she frowned, and Aang's eyes rose as he watched Suganya tilt her towards the direction of the football game.

Her mind had been extraordinarily opened, even with a small conversation just between her and Loung. Suganya had been strong enough to control the inner space of her airbending mind... letting someone else's feelings reach her like a magnet.

By the look on her face, Aang knew it wasn't a stranger.

_Suganya, who're you Listening to?_

And the Kyoshi dancer didn't even flinch in hearing Aang's spiritual voice reach her, but Loung straightened his spine with fright, opening his eyes immediately. Suganya let the wavy curls of her hair provide the comfort she needed to Speak back to her airbending teacher.

_Ty Lee._

* * *

Azula's fire-blast barely missed Sokka's shoulder as the heat of it broke the ice, sending Yue and himself screaming down a twenty-foot fall. Chan sent another air-cutting fireball as they flew, but Yue's graceful arms melted the falling ice to give them a water shield… and she quickly waterbended a slight friction for them to land on all fours to the ground. Painfully, but in one piece.

"Such waste of a good skill," Azula side-commented to Yue as she regained herself from the ground, but the woman's keen eyes went to Sokka and Longshot, "and to think, how I greatly supported you Non-benders in our school's activities."

"Azula… you're a sick, twisted, _power-hungry maniac_." Sokka didn't care if his words were being spat out, with Chan looking like he was about to clobber him. "Anyone with a _brain stem_ would be smart enough not to vote for you!"

"You'll address the Fire Nation princess with respect, you peasant," Chan didn't even wait for Azula to give him the permission to speak, and he showed Sokka a piece of his mind by pushing him to his backside... with his other hand in flames.

Longshot's arm no longer felt painful from Rion Jon's grasp, as he watched the dark-skinned boy clumsily attempt to defend his frame with his bookbag. Even without knowing his name, the archer wanted to help, but the lack of his faithful arrows and the restraint by such a dangerous fire-bender was keeping him down.

Yue, avoiding Azula's skeptical gaze, limped towards Sokka before Chan could launch the fireball... her arms lancing defensively like the waterbender Katara had been training her to be.

It was like the broken ice was summoned from the ground by her very own spirit, the way Princess Yue frowned so repulsively at Chan, blocking his fireball with a quick shield... and then taking the liberty of solidifying the water droplets again in mid-air.

The droplets became as sharp as talons, and they were aimed only towards Azula.

"Your Highness," Yue began, as Sokka blinked at her formality from the ground, "I'm begging of you... as one princess to another... to reconsider your styles of persuasion for this election."

"You're a foolish excuse for royalty, Yue," Azula dismissed the calm girl's formality like the trickles of sweat she noticed falling down the girl's cheek. "No princess would ever go against another's heart-sought wishes like a naive little child. You certainly learned that last year."

Yue kept her daggers of ice suspended steadily, but not even Sokka could avoid seeing the frightened look that came across her beautiful blue eyes. Chan stared at his girlfriend's cunning, almost seductive look as she glared at the other princess... and it showed that a new sense of compromise was brewing in her mind.

Her hands suddenly opened outward, becoming aflame with a radiant blue. "All you have to do is support my cause... so that the Fire Nation culture will continue to be its influence, as it always has."

"Highness, please," Yue felt her voice shake and she kept her eyes open and aware of all the people in the room. Sokka grabbed a hold of her ankle to steady her nerves. "This is madness."

Longshot's eyes watered shut by that point, and he breathed to remind himself that he was still alive, and hurting like hell by the grip of Rion Jon's hand... and yet he didn't say a word. As he heard the girl with snowy white hair speak so calmly, the only person that could crossed his mind was Smellerbee. He couldn't help but think he'd ultimately placed his best friend in danger... for the mere exchange of a personal grudge.

And with a small nod to her head, Azula might break the only defense he had.

The Fire Nation princess held her flaming hands out ruthlessly, with Chan at her side and being ready at her defense. Sokka had managed to lift himself up to Yue's waist but with barely enough energy to grasp the boomerang strapped to his back.

"Wait."

Rion Jon blinked as the boy he was holding firmly actually dared to say something. Azula and Yue stared over to Longshot's direction, as the boy's eyes closed.

"I– I'll do it," the archer looked up, hesitating to meet Azula's copper eyes. "I'll help you. Just let them go."

Her expression became rigid, with the flames still alive in her hands, but nevertheless Azula lowered them in slight critical means. It seemed like she was trying to read this scrawny kid's mind with the intensity of her eyes, wondering if she could trust his surrendering mood. Chan looked at his girlfriend oddly, as did Yue and Sokka in their defensive way.

But Azula smiled then, and took the deadly liberty of approaching the young archer. Sokka's heart was beating rapidly as he saw the woman's flamed hand nearly touch Longshot's cheek... but the moment before she lifted his chin up... the flame had disappeared.

"You did the right thing," Azula exclaimed softly, then gestured for Rion Jon to release the boy from his painful grasp.

Chan was sternly looking over to Yue and Sokka, with the ice daggers still in the air. "What if she goes to Zhao?" he asked his princess.

Azula glanced back to Yue, giving her an assertive grin as she answered Chan's question. "Hmm. I would love to hear the reasoning... a torn princess and her love-sick puppy... eavesdropping on a conversation that was absolutely none of their business."

Yue's ice daggers fell helplessly to the ground as droplets, grabbing a hold of Sokka from behind her for emotional support. Chan was still holding his firebending fists at the ready, and Sokka tugged at Yue's arm with a 'Come on. Before it gets worse.' And with her blue eyes glimmering back at Azula's cunning grin, Yue let Sokka's intent pull them out of the tunnel... leaving the poor boy named Longshot behind.

And Longshot just stayed in the ground, trying to breathe calmly as the two classmates safely ran out of this torture chamber. In his mind, he could only hear the firm voice of Jet demonstrating a new hip-hop routine... and the flustered, husky comments of Smellerbee in the background... and he saw Pipsqueak laughing heartily... The Duke imitating his brother's moves... he even saw a faint smile in that mysterious, pale girl who was slowly finding a home under the Oak Tree.

"Now, I won't pretend this sudden _loyalty _of yours has nothing to do with the safety of your friends," Azula's velvetty, deadly voice pierced Longshot's thoughts once again. "But as long as you do what I say, you will not need to worry about them."

Rion Jon kicked Longshot lightly at the back to make sure he was listening, and Chan chuckled in amusement. The archer could easily feel a certain pain returning to his good arm, feeling the weight of humiliation and defeat brew in his stomach.

_I'm so sorry, Bee. _

Longshot felt a small set of tears leave his tightly-shut eyes, his chest falling heavily as Azula placed a comforting hand on the young archer's cheek.

"And please keep you mouth shut, as you always do."

Azula waited for the lanky boy to compose himself out of his tears, so he could open his blackberry eyes again towards the princess and hear what she had assigned to him.

But all it took were the words 'non-benders' and 'air-gliders' in the same sentence... for Longshot to fully understand just what kind of a burden he was put into.

* * *

**A/N - happy December! It was just around this time, one year ago, that I started browsing through Avatar Shipping AMVs on YouTube... and despite not knowing much about the characters, or anything past the basic premise of the show at the time... I was hooked. Before I knew it, I was breezing through every Avatar episode I could get my hands on... watching with such fascination as Aang, Katara, Sokka, Zuko and Toph developed in the show and became everyday names for me. And one day, right when my enthusiasm for these amazing characters was still fresh in my mind... I opened a Word document and decided to write a high-school story about them. But I couldn't leave some of my favorite secondary characters hanging, and with the highschool universe, the story took me places I never even imagined. It still is. I greatly appreciate all of you who've stuck to this novel of a story. I have just a few chapters left, but they'll be really good. I promise. --MM  
**


	27. Ty Lee

"But Mr. Pakku, I've never spoken in front of the _entire school _before!"

Signs of stress wrinkles were beginning to show under Katara's tranquil blue eyes, almost as if they were mimicking her elderly teacher's.

"Child, you're over-reacting," Pakku did not bother looking up towards the girl as her arms hung desperately at her side. It seemed like this sort of thing happened quite often between them, and today... he was much more interested in grading his pop quizzes.

"That's exactly what I said," Zuko added from the doorway, tapping the wall with a drumstick. "But it's like talking to a brick wall with her."

Katara scowled at him, even though she knew he meant well. Zuko just shrugged teasingly, hiding his eyes under his messy dark hair.

"Are you telling me this mission of yours is crumbling down to dust... all for a simple speech you have to make?" Mr. Pakku raised an eyebrow to her, judgmentally. "That's the most pathetic nonsense I've ever heard. Waterbenders don't give up so easily."

The girl shook her head with her hands, frazzled.

"But Azula. She's... I mean, _you _know how she speaks to people," Katara glanced over to Zuko for a second, before turning back to her grandfather. "It's spellbinding!"

"Are you afraid to face her?" the math teacher started gathering some papers from his desk, speaking almost second-handedly to Katara, now. "I remember that tidal wave quite well... how it took me a good lunch break to convince Zhao that my granddaughter wouldn't attack the Fire Nation princess in that extremity again. I hope you're happy."

Zuko fought a grin, seeing how Katara's arms crossed uncomfortably to their Math teacher.

"Gra– Mr. Pakku, I'm not scared of Azula," the girl asserted, with bite. "I'm just scared that people will _side _with her after she makes her speech. That stuff comes so naturally for her."

The waterbending master brought his attention away from his papers, looking at the distraught young girl who had inherited her grandmother's eyes and short temper. He knew it wasn't in his job description to empathize with students... but in this case, Pakku had to make an exception. She was part of his family, after all.

"She is a public-speaking prodigy, Katara..." he said in a gentler tone, "but that's because the podium is like her sanctuary."

Katara frowned involuntarily, picturing the Azula from the campaign posters coming to life. She glancing involuntarily back at Zuko for support, and Mr. Pakku felt his eyes narrow sternly at Zuko without warning.

"Just find the place you've felt most at home this year," Pakku then said, bringing her attention back to him, "where in spite of anything... you'll feel the most comfortable to make the speech. That way, not even Azula could distract you."

And Katara smiled, feeling like a bit of that headache was leaving her system.

"Thanks, Mr. Pakku," and without hesitating, she ran over to give her grandfather a meaningful hug.

"Take care," he replied, watching the girl leave with Zuko at the doorway. It was right before the two of them had left the classroom, that Zuko glanced back to their teacher... and he saw how sternly the man was looking at him.

Like the overbearing lion-hawks, when they protected their young from vicious predators.

And the boy quickly followed Katara out the door, feeling goosebumps sprout behind his neck.

* * *

"How did my mom's history test go for you?"

Katara shrugged as a response to Zuko's raspy voice, meeting up with him as he left Ms. Wu's classroom towards the end of the day. "I feel like I could've written more, but I managed to get through everthing fine. It's _Jeong Jeong's _test I'm stressing over, and that's next period!"

Zuko chuckled, ignoring the over-dramatic tendency of her voice.

They headed towards Zuko's locker on the far end of the hallway, and Katara ignored the blank stares from the students that passed them by. They had a few minutes before the next class, so the last thing on their mind was the ridiculous rumors regarding a torn prince and a talented waterbender. It had been a while since the two had agreed to ignore them.

As Zuko opened his locker, Katara noticed the maroon insignia of the Fire Nation hanging as a small flag on the door. A small, very worn picture of his immediate family... Lord Ozai, Lady Ursa, Azula, and himself at least from ten years ago... was posted on it. She had seen it countless times... but something about the way each person had broken smiles in the portrait made her hesitate to ask why he kept it there.

"Are you still going to compete for the _Shaolin _Nationals?"

It took a second's pause before Zuko finally decided to reply. "I don't think so; the competition's in a few weeks, and I'm nowhere near ready."

"If it's because of all these changes in my campaign, I can understand. You don't have to help me that much, I know it's a lot of work."

"No, I... I want to do this," Zuko explained humbly, but staring at the girl square in the eye. "If Aang wants to demonstrate his bending ability, he still needs a lot of work... and I'll do what it takes to keep my sister from beating you."

Katara smiled, but not without that small bit of guilt. "I just hope this all goes according to plan... I'm supposed to help Teo with the air-gliding demonstrations after school... but all I can think about is this place where I can call home and say my _speech._"

"Unbelievable," and the boy just grunted, knowing that any more talk about this speech would fry Katara's brain cells. Her simple grin then appeared, and as she shook her head in her own absentminded way... Zuko reached and pulled on one of her hairloops to kill the awkward mood.

"Ow!" she then hit him rightfully back on the tugging arm. The boy just returned to rummaging in his locker, giving them a few quiet seconds before deciding to bring up another subject.

"How's the play coming?"

The girl nervously caved in her frame from the books she held. "We're doing the kissing scene again tomorrow."

"I know," Zuko took out a couple of his notebooks, then eyed Katara for a second. "Aang couldn't stop talking about it yesterday, during his training."

Katara blinked, and she couldn't tell if a bit of color had left her face. "Really?"

"Yeah. He's a funny kid," he added as an afterthought, closing his locker with one swing. One glance at Katara's distraught look made his say, "Something wrong?"

"Oh... no, I'm fine," she stalled in her own voice, so clearly she couldn't help but blush in front of Zuko. "I just feel like... like I've been ignoring him, lately."

The boy's copper eyes searched to meet her deep blue, taking a second's pause. "Are you?"

"I don't know!" Katara said, exasperated. "I told you what happened at our last waterbending session..."

"Right, and you stayed with him the whole time," Zuko pointed out. "So why is it so hard to talk to him, now?"

"Because it's weird, Zuko! I don't know if he was hallucinating, or if he really _does _feel that way about me." She lowered her eyes, sadly, to the only person she seemed to confide her thoughts to at the moment. "I mean... Aang's just a kid, right?"

Zuko stared at his friend appallingly for the first time, as if he hardly recognized her.

"No, he's not," Zuko responded, with such a low tone that didn't suit him at all. "If you saw him Firebend, you would understand."

The girl made a small sound, like a sigh, already feeling a bit of pink appear on her cheeks.

"Katara, look at me." Zuko stared at the dark-haired girl square in the eye, unafraid of the glimmering blue that was reflecting from them. "I think you're being a real coward right now."

"_Coward?_"

"Yes," Zuko responded with firm ease. "There's a lot of passion and energy coming from that kid's soul... and I think he gets it from you. When I ask him why he's working so hard, he says it's because he wants the next Avatar to be a positive influence here. He believes in your mission, Katara, and he doesn't want to let you down… because he feels he'll be letting _everyone else _down, too."

The girl didn't even feel her mouth drop slightly from the heaviness in her jaw. But Zuko looked away for a second, wondering if he'd said enough. But as it was his best friend, he felt the whole truth should come out like open water.

"And when a kid pours his heart out like that... you sure as _hell_ shouldn't leave him hanging."

"Zuko, I'm not trying to be a bad person here."

"I know, but you're being awfully inconsiderate," Zuko relinquished that memory of Mai, and the many weeks that had passed without knowing why she had decided to walk out on him. He knew Katara would probably hate him for saying so, but it wouldn't be forever. "He's a great kid. Don't take him for granted."

She pursed her lips through habit. "You're starting to sound like your Uncle, you know that?"

The boy grunted harshly, shaking his head in disgust. "I'm meeting with him after school, to talk about post-graduation plans. I'd rather drink tea with Zhao."

Katara laughed, letting a few seconds of quietness filter in before speaking again.

"Hey, maybe I'll ask Aang to the Year-End dance," her voice rose from the idea, feeling herself blush in color almost instantly. "That's going on a week after the _OmaShu _play."

"Yeah," suddenly Zuko became very interested in the wall (that coincidentally exhibited Mai's artwork).

"You should go, too." Katara nudged him encouragingly. "It's your last chance, and you don't have to bring a date unless you want to."

Zuko gave a slight chuckle, in the way that brought ease to his dry throat, "Actually... my mom's been trying to set me up with someone."

"_What?_" her blue eyes doubled in size. "Why didn't you–"

"It's _embarrassing_, okay?"

He blankly stared at his Fire Nation crest, using all his might to keep his face from turning pink.

"No, Zuko, that's wonderful. Your mom's just trying to help!" Katara gleamed happily. With one quick close of his locker, Zuko and Katara walked down the hallway together quietly, and she couldn't help but narrow her eyes beneath her hairloops. "So, who is this lucky lady?"

The boy hesitated, unable to remember the last time he felt this foolish and out of his own skin. He brought a hand to brush his scalp nervously, before speaking in a raspy whisper.

"She's the student intern at Nurse Yugoda's clinic, and she loves my mom to death."

"Song?" Katara beamed. "Oh Zuko, she's the sweetest girl in the whole school! You _should_ ask her to the dance."

Zuko frowned and looked at the passing students, recognizing a few of their faces along the way. He saw the water-tennis girl, Yue, talking to Sokka (who looked as gloomy as ever) while they strolled out to Mr. Mechanist's lab. And then a group of chit-chatting Kyoshi dancers passed by, and then... without even preparing himself for it, he saw the familiar Oak Tree kids.

_He saw Jet. _

_That charismatic, hip-hop-loving troublemaker who'd stolen a certain girl's heart, who walked with such a calm smile on his face... it was making Zuko's face sour._

Katara did all she could to bring him back into the conversation, realizing who had caught his attention. A tiny butterfly then jumped in her throat.

"Zuko, I know it's hard... but if I can have the guts to talk to Aang, that means _you _can put in the effort to...," she said it so assertively, Zuko raised his eyebrows as she firmly continued. "... to move on. That's what's holding you back, isn't it?"

"Katara, please," he rasped, as images of Mai with Jet were suddenly churning his stomach. "Not now."

She sighed, realizing she had gone a bit too far for even the early morning.

Katara didn't want to press on the matter further, knowing it wasn't any more of her business, but Zuko's eyes finally fell to hers... in the way a friend would always confide in the other with their secrets. It took the loud ring of the 'warning' gong to get the noisy students scrambling to their next classes, leaving Katara and Zuko to establish this awkward conversation over.

"Will you at least think about it?" she said, trying to speak over the incoming voices of students.

Zuko shut his mouth as a way of answering her question, and waved a solid goodbye. "Good luck with that Jeong Jeong exam."

"Thanks," she grunted and waved a quick hand back to him. "See you!"

* * *

"Azula... where's Hide?"

Ty Lee tugged at her braid hesitantly from atop the tall redwood tree, trying to build up the same confidence she had so much admired about the Fire Nation princess. Rion Jon and Chan were also hiding their forms within the branches, but Azula was gazing outwards, maintaining her sharp eye towards the Praying Mantis rooftop that currently bore at least two dozen of its students... most of them with brilliantly-handcrafted air-gliders.

Not only was the ruthless princess surveying those innocent faces... but her copper eyes also thinned onto the shadowed boy sitting just a few trees ahead of her. It was the archer, who was reluctantly about to fulfill his oath with bow at hand.

"You said he was going to help save the non-bending kids," Ty Lee continued about Hide, looking up to Azula as though she was unable to hear her.

"I gave him permission to stay behind," Azula responded without even looking at Ty Lee. "He said he had some important _personal _business to attend to."

The perky smile from the acrobat nearly faded at those words, suddenly feeling like she'd eaten another rotten sea prune by accident. Ty Lee held an hand to her stomach, already getting a good idea about what _business_ Hide was getting himself into. And it involved a lanky, rather clumsy young non-bender she'd sometimes run into during her cheerleading practice.

It wasn't part of the plan at all. Azula, and the others... they were just trying to scare the airbenders, right? It was a _game_. _Right? _Just a way to encourage them to vote for the coolest Fire Nation girl for president... the most powerful bender Praying Mantis has ever seen!

_Right???_

"Listen, Azula... I..." Ty Lee blinked, feeling her high-pitched voice quivering embarrassingly. "We've been friends since kindergarten, and I know you wouldn't tell anyone about my... _whatever..._ but you're not going to _really_ hurt the airbenders, are you?"

Ever since that falling-out with Mai, Ty Lee had grown more and more confused over Azula's actions. It was like she didn't know what to expect from her anymore. Part of her believed that at some point within these months... Mai would approach her, or Azula take her back as a friend again. But Ty Lee saw that relentless look in the princess's eye, as she firmly looked towards the innocent crowd of non-benders. That entrusting aura in Azula's smile had practically faded.

"That is not so much my concern, Ty Lee" Azula replied coolly, "as it should be yours. It all depends on whether or not you will catch them. My fight is with the Avatar."

_Was it actually coming down to this? That the only reason she was going on with Azula's schemes was because... so many years ago... she had promised to keep a little cheerful girl's awkward bending ability a secret?_

Ty Lee's hands shivered as if cold, while she clung onto the tall RedWood branches. She glanced over to the archer kid... who was probably weighing something very personal to his heart all for the sake of fulfilling a campaign duty to the mission.

The girl's brilliantly-shimmering eyes shut tightly, finally understanding why Mai wasn't speaking to Azula anymore.

"I'll be right back," Ty Lee said with her voice shaking, swinging herself off the branches before Rion Jon, Chan or even Azula could turn their heads. "I'm gonna go help Hide."

And the Fire Nation princess rolled her eyes, muttering 'lovesick puppy' under her breath. Only a few minutes from now... she would signal the Oak Tree boy to draw his first arrow.

* * *

"Teo... if I fall out of this thing... I'm gonna _crush _you!"

Toph's voice shuddered by the open air that passed her on the rooftoops, holding onto the custom wheelchair plane by the handles. She looked like a five year old girl, sitting on her boyfriend's lap with a pair of seatbelts strapped across her shoulders diagonally. Mr. Mechanist laughed, chaperoning his son's special event while sporting a new visor, keeping the sun away from his sensitive eyes.

On Ji was there, too examining a red shell-fish airglider Aang had happily handed to her. Suganya was twirling the light green stick-bug glider on her own, and Loung... the lone Watertribe airbender, was already flying freely over the roof on a dark blue crescent-moon glider. The non-benders looked both impressed and terrified by the simple nature of air-gliding.

A few non-benders were already holding the extra airgliders available, swishing them and pretending like they could naturally open them. Smellerbee and Pipsqueak were absentmindedly watching from the rooftop. They had no idea where Longshot had run off to that afternoon, and Jet and Mai seemed to be quite okay with just sitting under the Oak Tree. It seemed natural to just call their dance practice off for the day, but at least Smellerbee looked skeptical about trying this whole flying business.

Aang was thrilled to see so many familiar faces up on the rooftop, ready to try out this ancient art of the Air Temples... but his heart was beating like a drum, seeing Katara stand there proudly next to Mr. Mechanist! This was all her idea, and Aang knew this excitement about airbending culture would greatly benefit the school. While his mind tended to wander off about the lovely waterbender's smile... Aang tried to stay in the moment.

He laughed as Toph remained clung to her boyfriend's arm.

Teo just chuckled and secured an arm around Toph's stomach affectionately. Everyone watched as the kid in the wheelchair-plane slowly backed from the roof's ledge, a good fifteen feet away..

"Don't worry," Teo explained to the non-bending kids, and he took out his piloting glasses to wear. "When you take off... the key is to run and never look down!"

He gave Toph one last hug with his arm, before securing his hands to the wheels in a hard grip. Without even counting down numbers... the boy drove his wheelchair clearly off the ledge of the roof, and all the students hustled over to hear Toph shrieking voice that had followed. As Aang expected... the wheelchair plane immediately showed up in the air, and a chorus of _whoa!_s and _holy crap!_s came from the spectator students.

Loung happily flew from the safe rooftop over to his classmate, Teo, as the wheelchair kid demonstrated his mastery of non-bending flight.

Right when Aang thought Toph had given her shrieking a rest, she exclaimed, "_Teo, don't you DARE try the loop-thing on me--AAAHHH!"_

Students were laughing and clapping their hands all the same, while Aang, Sokka, Katara and the other airbenders seemed to just watch peacefully. The waterbender laughed her beautiful, musical laugh... as if feeling fully rejuvenated by this amount of fun people seemed to be having.

"Air Gliding's not as scary as it looks," the young boy reassured the overtly-fascinated students, immediately clicking open his own orange clamshell-glider and making Momo flinch awake on his shoulder. As Momo spanned its wings and flew off happily over to the other students, Aang said, "You tighten your body against the glider, but it's really about trusting the air."

Suganya and On Ji followed along with Aang's formality with the gliders, taking position to try and take off themselves. Aang had been instructing them all week about the simple maneuvers with air-gliding... and Suganya already master the upside-down loop! They happily took to the air, showing a few non-benders how to successfully do it themselves.

On Ji smiled. She thought about how Brei An's singing lesson was going, and crinkled her nose at the convenience that Xai had put himself in detention for this special day. The little girl wondered about taking out her new pair of air-skates to see if they'd bring further fascination over their element. Mr. Mechanist gave her a 'thumbs up' in the background as she took them out of her bag... but then... Kuzon came to mind.

_Where was he?_ On Ji thought, her heart starting to ache. _He said he wouldn't miss this. _

Her mind was beginning to sink, amongst all the clapping and laughter that ensued from the air-gliding demonstrations... sinking back to the memories of when Hide once pretended to be so fascinated about her airbending talents. She started remembering Hide's words... his promises..._ hating herself to think that Kuzon was betraying her, too._

_No... _On Ji argued within herself... _he's not. Kuzon's not like that. He wouldn't make fun of me, the way Hide would. Oh... Oh my god. HIDE?_

The Listening came in fragments. In pieces. On Ji felt her hands shaking inside the schoolbag, closing her eyes... determined to concentrate on the one person she had consistently been worried about placing in danger.

_She heard a loud crushing sound. A boy getting violently shoved against a row of lockers by a muscular hand the girl unfortunately knew too well._ _She could see this boy's memories jump in her mind, like the enjoyment of watching his little theatre-partner dance. All On Ji could see in the boy's jumping web of memories... was that he was only thinking about one thing._ _One person he had such a pleasure teasing and tickling during all of their moments together._

On Ji knew something was wrong, and one exchanging look with Aang told him everything he needed to know.

But that was when the swift sound of an arrow cut through Teo's glider like tissue paper.

* * *

"Dude, _what the hell is your problem?_" Kuzon could feel the dents in the metallic locker he was pinned up against, as Hide's brown eyes glared at him angrily. "_We're JUST FRIENDS!_"

Papers were scattered on the ground, mostly pages of _OmaShu _script that Kuzon had sloppily been holding on his way to the airbending demonstration. But Hide had ultimately decided to pay the lowly boy a visit in the remote hallway in the locker rooms... shouting obscene things about On Ji.

"It doesn't make sense," Hide practically spat to Kuzon's face, "Why would she go for a scrawny little Non-Bender like _you_?"

Kuzon felt the clutch on his shoulder get tighter and tighter, like his whole arm was becoming numb. Hide was growling and letting his breath almost choke the kid against the locker.

"Dude... did you _brush your teeth this morning_?" Kuzon coughed out, and kicked one of Hide's knees roughly to get out of the guy's grasp. "I don't know _what_ mushrooms that girl must've been eating last year, to date some bad-breathy jerk. She deserved better."

Hide rammed his fists into a locker, denting it only in the smallest amount but showing a significant sound of pain. Just as the dented locker echoed along his ears... Kuzon felt the sudden kicking of a vent from above him. Before he knew it, part of a ventilation filter was metallically hitting the ground, and the legs of a gymnast flew over him. The legs kicked Hide's frame square to the ground, and Kuzon faintly recognized that cheerleading grace.

Ty Lee then ran to hold the guy back, using her flexible legs to acrobatically lock him down by the arms and legs.

"Hide, honey, that's enough," the girl shouted to her sweetheart, her big silver eyes glimmering by the many times she'd heard On Ji's name in their argument.

"SHUT UP, Ty Lee."

Ty Lee went pale white, not expecting to be yelled at by her own boyfriend. Defensively, she jumped off of Hide and jabbed the muscles on the back of his legs, leaving him paralyzed from from the waist-down. "I think somebody needs to cool down."

Immediately, the girl turned her head to acknowledge the frightened, lanky boy who was picking up the few papers he could get from the ground.

"I'm sorry... we weren't supposed to scare you!" Ty Lee looked helplessly at Hide as he struggled to awake his legs again. "Azula wants to show how protective the Fire Nation could be for Non-Benders! Please don't take it personally."

Kuzon strained the muscle on his shoulder with his hand, looking at Ty Lee's cheery smile like she had three serpents' heads.

"Honey, I gotta go save the air-gliding kids... they should be falling and crying for help any moment now," Ty Lee patted her boyfriend on the head.

"F–falling...?" Kuzon gathered his thoughts about the air-gliding demonstration, remembering that On Ji was supposed to be helping. But neither Ty Lee nor Hide read Kuzon's confused face at that moment. He was practically invisible, and he felt worse when all the perky cheerleading girl said was 'one of the air-kids are on the way!' and just ran down the deserted locker-room hallway.

"Ty Lee, get back here!" Hide attempted as he tried to hold his upper body up.

"Bye, sweetie! I'll help you as soon as I'm done saving the blind girl!"

Kuzon was about to head out to follow Ty Lee, immediately recognizing who she was talking about... but Hide's fireball fist blocked him from going any further. His legs were shaking, but Hide had managed to hold himself up against the non-bending Kuzon.

And then an ethereal echo of singing came into existence from the very distant corners of the locker room. It made Hide blink, and Kuzon was almost too afraid to look over his shoulder and see where this new sound had come from. It was like hearing the voice of an angel filter through the walls... the sound so powerful that it seemed to outdo everything else.

* * *

"_TEO, WHAT'S GOING ON!?!?_!"

"_It's okay, Toph! _I– it's okay! It's just a small tear on the glider...!"

Toph couldn't even hear the sound of her own shrieking voice, as a chorus of numerous yelps of panic overtook the sky. She felt a jumping of turbulence on Teo's wheelchair as she clung onto him for dear life... hearing her voice shudder like an earthquake. She heard her boyfriend's heartbeat skyrocket rapidly, as he tried to maneuver his glider like a hiccupping hummingbird.

Aang had taken off into the sky just a few seconds before... trying to dodge the handful of arrows that had pierced almost all the others in the air. Mr. Mechanist was running around the rooftop with his hands on his head, flabbergasted and shouting some kind of physics terminology out to his son, that only Sokka seemed to understand fully.

"_HOLD ON to the LEVER as FIRMLY as YOU CAN, TEO!" _Sokka translated in his loud voice, while Teo's jumping glider headed into the forest. The boy thinned his eyes and promptly drew out his boomerang, to try and cut some of the incoming arrows out of course.

On Ji was panting frightfully under her breath, concluding that this _must've _been a trap. She thought about Aang... about how she must've told her all of her previous worries when she had the chance. Or how they should've made more safety precautions about Azula's schemes.

But that didn't matter, now. Her mind was such a maelstrom up there in the sky, she couldn't Speak to any of the airbenders around her, nor did she blame them. Loung's excitement had drained from his face, and Suganya was gritting her teeth in concentration as they all tried to prevent their gliders from tearing.

"JIN!" Pipsqueak suddenly belted out, seeing his fellow non-bending friend shriek and hold on to dear life on a rickety airglider. It had at least three holes in it, and all Pipsqueak could do was clutch Smellerbee tightly like a platypus-bear and pray that she could land on one of the forest trees it was headed to.

Katara brought a hand over her eyes for shade, trying to locate the closest airgliders around her while at the same time opening her water pouch. She ran over to the ledge of the rooftop... whipping out the water immediately to the closest air-glider she saw, and exhaling a cold breath to freeze the torn hole in place.

"_Everyone, STAY CALM_! Uh... _Loung! On Ji!_" Aang noticed them still riding the air with graceful luck. "_Grab hold of people's gliders by the base_, _and guide them back to the rooftop. BE CAREFUL!"_

The young airbender overlooked the entire sky, realizing that the arrows had spontaneously stopped coming after a matter of minutes. A dozen of the brave non-benders were helpless keeping themselves up in the sky, and Aang watched while Suganya bravely led a damaged airglider (as well as her own) safely towards a forest branch.

Aang clutched his glider nervously, as he suddenly noticed the number of students who had emerged from the ground below... gathering around and pointing up at the panicking activity that was occurring above them. He saw the familiar faces of Jet and Mai, running out from the Oak Tree... already approaching the redwood trees like professional climbers to help receive the panicking riders as best they could.

Aang couldn't have felt more grateful... but then, he also recognized one of the faculty members: Vice Principal Zhao.

This didn't look good.

* * *

As tranquil as it was making Kuzon, the angelic aria in the voice did not seem to bother Hide. His frowning eyes were still staring at the kid, now with a fresh fireball flaming in his hand. At the very moment when Hide was approaching Kuzon like a predator, crouching in his numb legs... the kid looked past the threatening Fire Nation guy, and found another faint figure running towards them in the distance.

"I'm not done with you, kid," Hide rasped holding his fireball with rage at Kuzon.

"_Oh yes, you are_."

Brei An's voice no longer sounded ethereal and delicate, but especially loud. It came almost as strongly as the gush of wind that travelled along the hallway, bringing Hide's form into an outraged mess as he hit the locker with a "DAMMIT!". Brei An remained at the distance, keeping herself as calm as possible... but trembling with fright on the inside.

Her eyes didn't leave Hide as he tried to regain himself. Kuzon stammered away from Hide's reach, raising an eyebrow as that slender, usually-quiet girl began to sing her aria again. And when Hide decided to lance two loud fire discs over to the girl's directions, Kuzon easily understood why she was singing throughout her defensive block moves.

The airbender's operatic voice was bouncing off the walls. _Nobody was allowed to bend inside the school. Not even this shy girl who'd decided to sing out of no where. _Her voice had not only tuned out the noise of Hide's fireblasts, but also her harsh gusts of wind... and nobody except Kuzon was able to know what was _really _going on in the deserted locker rooms.

"Leave yourself out of this, girl."

"I– I'm sorry," Brei An said in her nervous, high-pitched voice, wishing she had another airbender to back her up. "Principal Roku said I have to protect the students from... I guess from people like you."

"You mean _fire-benders?_"

Hide jolted off the locker wall, attempting to scare Brei An with a small torpedo of flame ... but the girl blocked it defensively with her hands. Kuzon ran over to the tall girl's side, pantingly hoping to find some security there. While Brei An still watched Hide's out-of-breath stance, she kept herself very calm, letting her mind wander peacefully to attempt to reach out to the main airbender.

_Aang!!! _She then Spoke in her mind. _Aang... Hide attacked a boy down here in the locker-rooms. I need help to get him out of here!_

A few seconds passed, and while her eyes were still open and aware of Hide's movements, Brei An felt completely helpless to the boy she was supposed to rescue. Her palms were almost sweating, ready for whatever Hide would throw at her, and desperate to reach another airbender for help. While she and Kuzon slowly started to step back along the locker room, another voice suddenly made itself clear in her mind.

_Brei An? You there? _

The voice was indistinguishably Xai's. And he sounded pissed.

Kuzon was ultimately getting more confused by the startled, twitchy look of the girl's face. All he wanted to do was make it to the air-gliding show, and that certainly wasn't going to happen now. And he _really _needed to pee...

_Look... _Xai's voice continued to fill Brei An's calm, but terrified mind..._ Aang and the others are dealing with some crazy air-gliding shit up on the roof, and I'm in detention._

_What? Oh no. _

Brei An's eyes began to glimmer, continuing to Listen to Xai's voice as she fought not to imagine what was happening to the air-gliding demonstration. She blinked and returned her attention to Hide, who was slowly walking towards her and Kuzon.

_I can't get out of it, long story, _Xai declared rather shamelessly, _so I'm gonna Speak you through this Hide-hellz-fest, okay? Stay calm._

_Um, okay..._ Brei An could feel her throat getting drier by the moment, quickly gesturing for Kuzon to stay behind her.

_Now Hide's the suspense type. He thinks he's the shit with his bending, so I'll bet he's coming at you very slowly, to get you all terrified... am I right?_

_Y–yes..._

Brei An took a breath, noticing Hide's hands drawing out what looked like a pair of fire-daggers.

_Fucker..._ Xai's voice murmured, but the girl knew it regarded somebody else... _So what you're gonna do, is you're gonna keep one hand at your center, and one hand near the kid! _

Brei An did precisely what she Listened to, bringing a hand out to protect Kuzon (who's lower body was shaking, for some odd reason).

_Keep your eyes on him and start walking away slowly. The MOMENT he looks like he's gonna come at you... you airbend the shit outta his face and keep backing away slowly. Tell the kid to look behind so you two don't trip over anything. Okay?_

_I... um... _Brei An didn't know if her trembling voice could be read through Speaking. _Okay. _

_Don't forget to sing. _Xai also added like a attempt for humor, but serious all the same. _You can do this. Go kick that crazy fire-bender's ass._

Brei An nodded, as if to nothing. In another small breath, with her heart beating rapidly, she asked Kuzon to stay behind her, keeping his eyes to the distant hallway. She tightened her stomach and began to sing again, waiting for that dangerous-looking student to come at her with the fire-daggers in his hands. As the sound of her aria echoed along the walls... Brei An felt so incredibly foolish, somehow... waiting there for what seemed a full minute without any aggressive action from Hide.

She noticed him, standing, still panting in breath with his clenched fists. But his eyes were not frowning or enraged anymore... like he was taking in the sounds of her singing... or perhaps debating in his mind why he was attacking in the first place.

Kuzon turned over to look at Hide again, wondering why nothing was happening and holding his legs together tightly. Brei An kept walking them down the hallway, feeling one of Kuzon's hands tug at her long braid securatively. The girl couldn't help but study Hide's exasperated, almost sad-looking face... wondering why it had become that way.

As she and Kuzon continued to step back, Brei An felt the sound of her aria... cleared her mind towards the guy in front of her... and commenced her airbending duty as she saw fit.

* * *

Jet and Mai climbed towards the redwood trees in their respective hooked swords and natural leaping agility... with their firm eyes watching out for the places these air-gliders would land. Suganya's glider had already crashed like a limp kite... and even before a few of the Kyoshi dancers could call out her name from below, a dark figure suddenly jumped onto her.

Mai caught sight of who that must've been, even by the faint darkness in the forest.

"What– _What are you doing?_" Suganya said, out of breath as the darkly-clothed student grabbed hold of her waist and started to help her down the tree's many branches. "_I'm okay!"_

Even as they were both busy trying to help the crashed victims, Jet and Mai knew what this was all about. And Mai was the one who noticed that small glint of copper eyes hidden within the trees, perhaps smiling along for the spectacle.

Mai found herself between the covered faces of Rion Jon and Chan, as the two quietly helped down Suganya and a few other traumatized non-benders out of the trees.

Jet took notice of the heavy wheelchair glider that Teo was slowly still controlling with his hands... holding onto what seemed to be a kicking and screaming baby from his lap. The glider's huge wingspan had only gotten two tears on a side, so it managed to float and jump the longest out of all the others.

The brave Earth-dweller prepared himself in his mind, to cut off Teo's belts with his hookswords and grab hold of the two kids before the weight of the wheelchair had them crashing down to a sixty-foot drop. All he could hear were the murmurs of the watchers below them, and the shrieking of a little blind Earthbender still in the air.

But apparently, a graceful young acrobat that ran swiftly towards the trees had a few different plans herself.

"_Hang on, kids!"_ Ty Lee's voice appeared like a tiny floating butterfly as she tumbled and swung onto the trees. She sounded out of breath, but still desperate to rescue whoever still needed rescuing.

Aang and the other airbenders were doing all they could to calm the non-benders that had safely landed back on the rooftop, and the boy was just about take off and help Teo, but Katara's amazed voice caught his ear from the corner.

"Is that Ty Lee, over there?"

Aang saw how swiftly the young cheerleading girl was making herself up the trees, one unbelievable swing and jump after another. It almost didn't look humanely possible for a girl to move that quickly in the air. He looked over at On Ji, who had just landed from her own glider, and they each exchanged an overwhelmed look. They remembered what Suganya had mentioned about Listening to Ty Lee's distraught mind, one week ago... how it had all of a sudden become so simple to hear the girl's feelings about tumbling and flying, for fear that a deep secret might be revealed.

_Whoa._ Aang's silver eyes widened, still watching Ty Lee's maneuvers take her up to the very top of the tree in record time. _Could... could she be a...!_

Toph and Teo crashed nearly at the very top of a red wood tree in a loud snapping sound of lumber. Many people from below had gasped, and quite a few more had appeared outside by the time they heard the final crash within the trees. Jet and Ty Lee had caught up to the young Earth kids... with Jet gripping his hooked swords tightly as he saw Teo weakly holding on to a branch with both arms. It was clear that the weight of the wheelchair and Toph wouldn't be able to hang for very long.

"Kid!" Jet called out as he extended one of his swords to him. "Grab hold of this. Ty Lee can get the little girl."

"_I'm not a little GIRL!"_ Came Toph's exasperated voice as she helplessly clung onto Teo, frightened tears swelling in her eyes.

In a panting breath, as he watched Ty Lee swing upside-down and extend her arms like a monkey, Teo knew what he had to do.

"It's okay, Toph, you're gonna be fine..." he said as calmly as he could, carefully unbuckling the straps that held Toph to his stomach.

"_Teo...?_" the little Earthbender raised her brows, almost breathless by this point. She heard the branch above her snapping, making her heard pound like a drum. The boy was caressing her back tenderly with one hand, still holding onto a tree branch with the other. "..._TEO!?"_

Right when she'd been broken free, Ty Lee launched herself off of the branch she was hanging from like a trapeze artist and immediately grabbed hold of the little girl before she could fall off the wheelchair. And Ty Lee held Toph tightly to her frame as she leapt towards branch after branch, bringing herself closer to the ground. As Jet carefully cut the straps off of Teo with his swords, all they heard were the thrilled and frightened shrieks of a little girl in the distance.

"You got it?" Jet asked as he extended his arm towards Teo.

Carefully, the young boy placed both his hands tightly to Jet's arm, and the Earth-dweller swung him over and carried the boy off of the broken wheelchair. It wasn't a few seconds later when the wheelchair and the branch, now free of the weight, decided to make their way down to the very bottom of the redwood tree. All that was left hanging was the torn glider.

Jet had been too distracted by the falling wheelchair, he was not at all prepared for the sudden kick that came directly to his stomach... as if the unknown feet had swung in by the dark forest.

It made the Earthdweller grunt in pain, losing his grip on Teo as the young boy desperately tried to cling onto a free branch. Before he knew it, the darkly-clothed woman had left Jet cowering in a tree branch, easily grabbing hold of a reluctant Teo and swinging herself down to safety.

"_Wh– What did you do to him?"_ Teo's eyes rose beneath his flying goggles at the stealth woman with copper eyes. All he could do was hold on tightly to the swinger... knowing that one slip would leave him falling to the abyss.

But the woman said nothing. Teo could faintly recognize those copper eyes that glinted among the filtering sunlight... and he already knew she wasn't going to come back for Jet.

* * *

**A/N - Merry Holidays to all! I actually got Avatar Book I for Christmas, and the special features got me all giddy yesterday. Aw, what a great show. On a sidenote, I always thought Song was a water-downed version of Katara (you know, without the quick temper thing?) so I figured I'd try matching her up with Zuko and see if it would work! Who knows how this will end? Hehe...** **I'll be posting the next chapter as soon as I can, before my break is over! --MM**


	28. Azula

There were moments, within those long seconds that passed above the Praying Mantis rooftop, when Aang almost lost his ability to breathe.

Zhao had shown up somewhere between all the chaos, trying to make sense from what had happened up in the air. On Ji and Loung were still up on the roof, puzzled and furious... and Aang exchanged a raised eyebrow with Katara, who looked just as baffled as he was. Sokka was going off critically about how this had been a terrible idea... but nobody seemed to be listening to him. Kids were still questioning, panicking up on the roof, and Aang even saw a mean look come from Smellerbee's thick eyeliner.

It was like she'd long concluded that this kid... this supposedly innocent kid whom Jet decided to befriend under the Oak Tree... was just bound to bring trouble into Praying Mantis High.

Aang's eyes shut tightly, looking back down to the crowd. Teo was being carried out of the woods by none other than Azula herself, which made the young airbender's throat go dry.

_What was she doing?_

Part of him wanted to Listen to Azula with full intent, to find any sort of evidence that _she _was the girl behind the air-gliding sabotage. But he couldn't. His head was aching, and the boy didn't need to guess that Azula's mind worked like a complex network of walls.

Aang just held his breath, watching Azula carefully place Mr. Mechanist's son back down to solid ground. Her grace amazed him, but Aang knew her intentions were brutal. He couldn't bear to watch his classmate get punished over a cultural activity that was supposed to be fun.

In one firm prod, Aang reopened his clam-shell glider and took off towards the buffing crowd, determination glimmering in his eyes. And On Ji and Loung immediately did the same.

* * *

"Let GO of me!"

Teo didn't care if his legs would fail him from standing up, because touching solid ground seemed more pleasant than the clutches of this person. He'd already recognized her as the former Class President... and by those glinting copper eyes that snarled at him from the ground, it seemed she was only hoping to reclaim her title.

Dozens of students ran over to Teo's direction as the boy crawled away from the graceful young woman who'd 'rescued' him. He heard voices coming all directions, asking him '_are you okay?' _in their own words, but his eyes just searched for Toph. The little Earthbender had already gotten out of Ty Lee's arms, and she hurried over to Teo, she Earthbended a surprisingly large barrier between him and the other students... to keep her boyfriend from feeling any more flustered by the attention.

"Miss Crazy, _you're gonna pay for this,"_ was Toph's formal greeting to Azula's calm stance, as the little girl Earth-slid over to embrace Teo still on the ground. Ty Lee's gymnastic form had strangely disappeared back into the forest, and Toph felt nothing but good riddance.

"No need to sound so harsh, young lady," came a gruff voice.

Toph turned to the other direction, not having to second-guess the marching heels of Vice Principal Zhao that came closer and closer to them. Students were whispering again, making a space as their ruthless vice-principal surveyed the scene.

"Thank you, sir," Azula remarked in her velvety style, "I was just about to acknowledge how lucky these Non-benders were, since my campaign group was meeting inside the woods right before these air-contraptions became faulty."

"_They weren't faulty!"_ Teo lashed out at Zhao, picking his weight up from the ground with his hands. "One of _her_ friends sent arrows into the air."

"Settle down," Zhao continued. "Now did you manage to _see _who exactly sent those arrows?"

Mr. Mechanist had been running over from the crowd, trying to part a way with 'excuse me!'s to get to his son, but he did it so quickly that he almost shoved Zhao out of the way.

"Teo!" Mr. Mechanist hugged him immediately, not noticing the angry look at the Vice Principal's face. "Thank goodness you're alright!"

Zhao was gritting his teeth, exchanging a similar glare with Azula as the people from the roof suddenly appeared right behind the Mechanist, asking questions and huddling around Toph and Teo like a large clump. The other spectators couldn't help but whisper to each other, realizing that Azula... her friends... even the Vice Principal himself were all being pushed aside.

"_Mechanist!" _Zhao gripped the man violently at the shoulder, looking at the inventor's startled eyes like he would want nothing more than to burst him to flames. "Your little science prototypes almost cost the lives of non-bending students."

"Sir, I can assure you that these airgliders were designed and practiced on with the utmost care," Mr. Mechanist raised both his hands in a harmless way, keeping Teo completely out of Zhao's sight. Toph felt herself shake with frustration, and she could hear the to swift soaring of more gliders coming in.

"That doesn't matter, I'm holding you responsible for this ridiculous scheme," Zhao said with bite, glancing up at the sky to see Aang, Loung and On Ji gliding down towards the scene. "_YOU KIDS GET OFF THOSE THINGS, NOW!_"

"Vice Principal Zhao, there's no need to yell at them," Azula reproached in her usual fashion, right when Aang and the others landed. "They don't understand the dangers that come with teaching their unusual culture to the world. We shouldn't blame them for being so... different."

"We're _not dangerous, _lady!"

Loung didn't wait to speak his mind at the gritty-yet-elegant young woman. Aang was frowning, and On Ji kept her arm slightly in front of him, so as to prevent him from doing anything rash in front of the crowd.

"Airbenders have just as much a right to show their culture here in the school," Aang heard himself say calmly and firmly to the man. "Someone attacked the gliders with arrows in the woods. I don't know who did it... but it wasn't our fault!"

"It was a deadly mistake," Zhao crossed his arms, surveying the small group of airbenders. Suganya had made herself known within the crowd just then, bringing herself near her fellow friends of the sky. Zhao grimaced at her determined face, and he saw how the wheelchair boy's eyes were glaring at him like a deadly snake-owl. "And considering the trauma this has caused to many students in the school... I'll be banning these silly contraptions and any other demonstration your Waterbending colleague has planned."

"_You can't do that, Zhao!_"

Aang's silver eyes glimmered with so much fury, he could barely recognize his own voice as he yelled at the Vice Principal.

But the man remained calm, his arms crossed in that same intimidating way from the moment he'd first seen the Avatar-in-Training outside the attendance office. His voice returned to the usual gruff.

"All airbenders, please follow me to my office for questioning."

Zhao made a quick glance at Azula from behind him, and then proceeded to step forward, locking eyes with Aang to make sure the kid followed orders.

On Ji stayed near Aang's shoulder, but narrowing her eyes at the Vice Principal all the same. This after-school activity had turned into a deadly game of power and prestige. She knew this wasn't the time to be rash, and yet watching her airbending colleagues step reluctantly behind Zhao... On Ji could feel their peaceful nature slowly tearing itself apart.

Another uproar seemed to be brewing, of whispers and voices among the spectators that watched Zhao establish his rule to the powerless kids. Time seemed frozen, as Katara and Sokka stared down at the quiet commotion that was lingering between the young airbenders and the Vice principal himself. Their own waterbending culture was now being threatened by unspoken words, and Sokka could ultimately feel another migraine coming to his head.

"It was Longshot." was all Sokka could say, massaging his temples. "Azula threatened him into helping her, and he's the only kid I know with that good of an eye."

Katara sighed, shutting her eyes tightly. "God, this is a nightmare..."

Her hands were in fists as she leaned on the roof ledge, and this sudden revelation from her brother was making her practically out of breath. The fact that Aang, and these airbenders were getting punished over a mission she _herself_ had started was becoming such a burden to her eyes.

She had to go to Zhao's office. She couldn't leave those kids hanging.

But right after Aang and the airbenders had left with Zhao, Katara felt her stomach tighten violently as Azula's voice suddenly overtook the crowd.

* * *

"My fellow friends and peers of Praying Mantis High..."

Azula maintained her elegant stance before the small crowd of kids that were still encircled outside the school. Of course, she had expected quite a few other people to show up after such a commotion in the sky... but perhaps this would have to do.

"We all understand that Avatar Roku, our principal, founded this institution centuries ago as a Fire Nation citizen, and while I understand that his intentions were for mere cultural integration... he did not overlook the outstanding consequences that his mission would entail. For the past few weeks, I have seen a vast amount of change within the Fire Nation citizens, the Water Tribes, the Earth-dwellers, and yes... even the small population of Air-benders at this school."

She noticed the Watertribe siblings staring down at her from the roof, and Azula grinned at herself proudly while seeing Katara's face go sour. The determination in her voice was raw and splendid, even though the crease between her copper eyes folded almost in anger.

"Let me remind you that I, for the past two years as Class President, have worked very hard in establishing a strong representation of non-benders at this school. I would like to mention one of my dearest friends and comrades, Ty Lee..." Azula's eyes quickly searched for the cheerleader within the crowd, but failed to find her, "...a proud Non-Bender who has taken great advantage on the extra-curricular activities that I _myself_ had suggested. I have placed much passion in representing the non-bender community, and I hope to maintain a strong influence with each and every culture that is within the Pray Mantis community."

Mai was not in the crowd, much to Azula's surprise. She assumed that pathetic little headcase had decided to help her friend in the woods, instead... especially after that clear kick to the stomach Azula had successfully placed on him. Azula could not fathom the struggling that Mai must've been going through, trying to bring an injured Jet down from the trees without the essence of Bending. She could already imagine Mai gritting her teeth within those woods... helping that young man who was definitely not worth her time.

"There is one little subject I fear, and that is _cultural dominance,_" Azula continued, admiring the loveliness of the blue sky just for a second, as she surveyed the crowd. Oddly, Katara's figure up on the roof had already disappeared, and that brought a great feeling to the Fire Nation princess's stamina. "Please do not make the mistake of thinking that I ask for this role by the absolute feeling of power, but instead.... see me as the most organized the most capable leader this school can ask for."

The young watertribesman's face had then left the rooftop as well, but Azula didn't mind... since nobody within the grounded crowd seemed to be leaving. The non-benders' votes were more crucial, anyway. If they could not trust a Water-tribe girl's mission, then all those votes would easily go to the opponent.

But then... something occurred to the princess across the distant school grounds. Among the many unfamiliar faces of people who'd managed to catch her in the middle of her eloquent speech, the girl's copper eyes rose at the sight of her mother.

Ms. Ursa had been standing against one of the corridor's pillars, her arms gracefully at her side and watching her estranged daughter speak.

Azula felt her words jump slightly from her throat, even as she noticed Zuko's familiar, frowning face take appearance next to their mother. They were like two ghosts taking shade under the roofed corridor of the school, judging Azula with the keenest and saddest of eyes.

"I... I cannot deny that I _am_ a Fire Nation citizen," Azula struggled to keep her eloquence going, "Of Royal Blood. It is a part of who I am... and I expect that this experience will lead me to becoming a stronger leader for my country."

That was when a sudden rustling of feet came from the woods. The Fire Nation princess refused to look over her shoulder, as she knew the swift feet who'd decided to betray her this time.

"_Longshot!_" came a little husky voice from the rooftop.

Eyes turned puzzlingly to notice the lanky boy, subconsciously hiding his face from under a rice hat as he revealed his presence from the woods... and helping carry his Oak Tree leader in grunts. Mai look exhausted as well, holding Jet's weight consistently by his other arm, and she didn't even bother to look for Azula as they hit sunlight.

As the three of them made it out to the crowd, people seemed to stare oddly from Jet's painful state all the way to Azula's never-ending speech and unaffected eyes that glared at the crowd. They didn't know which scene was the most strange. The most grotesque to look at.

"We are....we all are a united people, but there is _one _thing preventing us from that union. _The Avatar-in-Training." _Azula said with bite, keeping herself in the moment, as much as it injured her voice to hear Jet's grunts in the background._ "_While my hope was to make the Airbenders better-represented... this boy was intending to make the Airbenders the most _dominant _of the school, and he plans to force us into that belief by the sheer amount of _power _he holds within the four elements and the Spirit World."

"Give it up, princess," Jet muttered under his painful breath as Mai set him down, "that kid has nothing to do with it. You're _done_ sabotaging this school."

Azula felt her eyes glimmer only for a second, enraged at the daring presence of this Earthdweller she'd merely taken down with one blow. She turned to stare him in the face, keeping her cool beneath the flowing strands of hair that hung over her eyes.

"And under what false assumptions do you believe that _I _had anything to do with this?"

Students started mumbling things amongst each other again, but Jet remained calm, his dreary brown eyes sternly looking at the young woman who mercilessly left him injured.

"He told me," the boy jerked his head to locate Longshot, standing with his eyes still hidden.

Longshot's head slowly rose to meet Azula's eyes of fury. His own blackberry eyes stayed on her, disgruntled and full of unbelievable guilt.

"_He _did?" Azula questioned in her velvety tone, refusing to raise her voice. "This mute idiot?"

And the mumbling around them instantly got louder.

Mai's silver eyes fell thin with rage in a matter of moments. Ms. Ursa was just about to walk down the corridor steps to confront her daughter, when an arrow suddenly whipped out from Longshot's vest... and he lanced it just _centimeters _from Azula's shoes.

Azula stepped back, glaring at the arrow. The evidence.

A chorus of gasps wove in, leaving Ms. Ursa to stop dead in her tracks and reminiscing what this once-harmless boy from her History class had almost done.

Azula looked back at Longshot as if she had never crossed paths with the boy. Ever. And her voice came in a scraping sound that echoed her usual serenity.

"You just got yourself _suspended._"

"I don't care," Longshot replied softly, simply. He could barely take in the voices of Smellerbee and Pipsqueak as they finally made it to his side. "My deed is done; I'm not going to help you anymore."

"You pathetic little _liar._" Azula challenged the boy under grit teeth, with Rion Jon and Chan immediately bringing a defensive stance to her. "How _dare _you hold me responsible, when this was all _your _idea from the beginning?"

Nobody would counter-argue her, she thought. Nobody even dared to, by the startled looks of everyone's faces. They all seemed so innocent and raw before her eyes, as she looked at the massive crowd of kids.

"Non-benders..." Azula continued to exclaim, finding her own mother stare at her with grief-stricken eyes, "...trying to mark their own _dominance _in this school. That is _precisely _what I am trying to avoid from this mission. If you all believe that cultural unity is the safest way to run this school, then by all means... _join _the Waterbending peasant. _Watch yourselves fall under her deadly trap._"

Students looked at each other puzzlingly, and Zuko remained within the shade of the outdoor corridor, his copper eyes glimmering from the helplessness he saw unfolding from . He saw that in spite of everything their mother had attempted to keep sacred in their family... that trust she held deeply in her daughter was long gone.

She could no longer recognize her.

"Or..." Azula continued, without a moment's pause or afterthought. "If you believe that the Fire Nation should maintain its traditional sense of order and protection for this school - with the acknowledgment of _all _cultures - then consider my mission valuable. I shall _get rid _of this Avatar-in-Training... and I assure you... you will not be disappointed."

At that finished sentence, Azula made a respectable bow towards the people of Praying Mantis High, and marched... with a crowd of students involuntarily making a way for her and her colleagues to the woods.

Within seconds, the crowd dispersed. The Oak Tree kids reunited in calm breaths, but Longshot could barely look straight at Smellerbee. Her distorted glance at him seemed to have dozens of questions all at once... and the boy could hardly keep himself from tearing up like a wounded child. Instead, Longshot's eyes went to Jet, still sitting on the ground and grunting from the pain on his stomach.

Another visit to Nurse Yugoda was now necessary.

* * *

"I have half-a-mind of expelling you right here and _now_, Mister Avatar and friends, for placing such a ridiculous scheme into practice."

Aang was reluctant from yelling anything to Zhao, knowing that Katara was in the office with them (holding his hand!), and that Monk Gyatso's airbending philosophies would die in vain completely.

_An airbender must always value patience in his life, regardless of the obstacles at hand._

"It wasn't our fault, Vice Principal Zhao," On Ji attempted meekly, keeping herself near Loung and Suganya while they awaited their fate.

Zhao grunted. "That doesn't matter. It's not my call to expel students, anyway."

Loung raised his eyes, his dreadlocks almost jumping in the background.

"Lucky for you kids, only Principal Roku has that power... and he's still out of office," Zhao muttered just loud enough for Aang and Katara to hear. "But I'm holding you air-kids under in-school suspension until he returns. No more of this bending nonsense, and absolutely _no after-school activities_."

On Ji gasped, looking at Suganya's upset stance with immediate alarm. _No more Kyoshi dancing. _

And the play? On Ji brought her eyes towards Aang saddened face, looking completely defeated and upset. _No more OmaShu rehearsals to look forward to. They would have to imagine Kuzon kissing Katara from now on._

A large pebble was slowly taking shape in the girl's stomach.

Katara gripped Aang's hand tightly, wanting just as much to shout at Zhao, but feeling so much more guilty otherwise. She frowned, finally getting the courage to speak up.

"Vice Principal Zhao... don't blame the airbenders for this," Katara felt her throat get heavier with each word. "It was_ my _idea."

All eyes turned to the waterbender, and Zhao furrowed his brows.

"I wanted students to get a taste of the airbending culture, and... and it backfired," Katara continued to say, "This was all because of my stupid campaign mission. I don't want anyone else to get hurt. Please... don't suspend them. Suspend me. I won't be in the _OmaShu _play anymore."

Aang flinched as he heard her speak, almost bringing the boy to tears by what it all had meant. Katara was giving up her after-school activity for the sake of keeping her campaign alive, and letting the airbenders free. It was the most selfless, most noble thing he had ever imagined.

Zhao studied the young waterbender questionably. "Does this mean you're forfeiting your campaign for Class Presidency?"

Katara blinked, but Aang finally stepped in and spoke. "No, she's not. She's the reason the airbenders had the guts to get together and do what we could to protect this school."

"_Protect?_" Zhao repeated almost laughably. "We already have a student patrol, not to mention a faculty of mastered benders. Why would we possibly need an airbending pa--"

And suddenly, a scrawny and panicky figure burst into Zhao's office door. Everyone flinched over to that direction, watching as the clumsy kid with disheveled hair scrambled over to On Ji... embracing her tightly.

She yelped, her arms locked at her sides. "Kuzon?"

"_He tried to KILL me!!!" _was his answer, and all the airbenders exchanged glances... immediately knowing who Kuzon was referring to.

Zhao sat up from his desk fiercely. "_Who_ tried to kill you?"

Just a few seconds behind Kuzon came another figure through the door, in the shape of a tall, very calm girl that the airbenders knew too well.

"Brei An!"

Loung quickly approached her with a smile, but so did Suganya and Aang (reluctantly letting go of Katara's hand) practically ignoring Zhao's presence in the crimson dim room. They all hugged her, feeling like they'd been separated for half-a-continent from that dreadful afternoon.

"What happened to Hide?" Aang asked promptly, hearing Zhao's voice say something questionably in the background, but bringing his full attention to Brei An.

The slender girl remained quiet as she hugged Loung, but there were small bags under her eyes that Aang couldn't look away from. She was exhausted over something, but by the regular state of her clothes and her features... it seemed like Brei An had merely been battling within her own mind.

Or someone else's.

"He's alright; Ty Lee is with him." Brei An said soundlessly, not letting go of Loung as she looked over at On Ji. "I don't think he'll be bothering you anymore."

On Ji's eyebrows rose, and so did Aang's. Zhao then felt like he wasn't in his own office.

"Ty Lee, you said?" The Vice Principal demanded that all eyes turned to him once again.

"Yes," Brei An finally located the man sitting behind the desk. "She said she'll bring Hide into the office as soon as she's finished talking to him."

Brei An paused, glimpsing over at Aang to say something else.

"Oh! And she's an airbender, too."

Zhao muttered something along the lines of '_you gotta be kidding me...' _and then pressed a fist on his own desk. "Alright, you kids get out of here before I get another migraine. _Katara._"

The waterbender stopped dead in her tracks as the other kids took their leave, locking blue eyes with the Vice Principal and feeling goosebumps sprout on her arms. She waited calmly to hear what he would say.

"You'll have in-school suspension for the next two weeks. No participating or planning activities, whatsoever... unless it deals with your Class Presidency campaign speech."

Aang lingered, catching every word from the foot of the door.

"But the campaign guidelines state that I have to say my speech before the entire school, right?" Katara then remembered out loud, eyeing Aang from the corner of the room.

"That is correct," Zhao replied promptly, crossing his arms.

"And it can be done at any time before election day... anywhere I feel is the most convenient?"

This time Katara crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes at the Vice Principal. Zhao raised a brow, but nodded.

"Then I've made my decision," Katara held her breath, and Aang felt himself leaning slightly towards the office again in anticipation. "I'm going to say my Class Presidency campaign speech right after the production of _The Tale of OmaShu _is performed in the school auditorium in two weeks. The play is going to promote cultural unity, and it will be perfect for everyone to hear what I have to say."

Zhao's dark copper eyes almost dried up from not blinking, and the man could feel a twitch on his left brow. Aang immediately ran towards Katara to hug her by the waist in support, and the girl couldn't help but smile victoriously.

"You'll announce this to the entire school, right?" The boy asked in his naive little fashion.

Through gritted teeth, the man furrowed his eyes and muttered "Yes. Now_ get out_."

And happily, the two students strolled out of the crimson red office of the Vice Principal... holding hands and feeling like they'd just conquered Ba Sing Se. It wasn't until he realized they were headed for _OmaShu _rehearsal... remembering Katara's unceremonious goodbye to her part of _Oma... _that Aang's stomach suddenly began to feel empty.

* * *

He watched his sister take her repulsive leave back into the woods, perhaps to plot some more unbelievable schemes that could threaten Katara's campaign. Zuko recoiled, knowing that something worse was bound to be in the works for the waterbender... that girl who would always be considered a rival to Azula. Now more than ever.

He had seen his own mother surrender out there within the crowd, admitting in absolute silence that she could no longer bring herself to understand Azula. She couldn't control that girl's desire for power. It seemed that Azula had always been her father's daughter... and Zuko didn't need to guess that within that eloquent speech... he'd seen his mother almost fall into tears by the depth that she sounded as Ozai.

_The man who tried to claim his place as future Fire Lord... and who disappeared, when the request had been denied to him._

Zuko walked towards the school's medical clinic, refusing to follow his deadly sister's footsteps in the woods, in order to get the information he needed.

With a few twirls of a drumstick in his hand, the young man took a breath and knocked on Nurse Yugoda's office. A few lighthearted footsteps came up to the door and opened it.

It was the same girl with the red plait of hair who answered it. She looked frazzled, frozen by the presence of the _last _person she had expected to see... but nevertheless she blinked. Zuko glanced elsewhere, embarrassingly.

"Prince Zuko!" she felt a blush at her cheeks and slightly bowed her head to hide it. "I... are you hurt?"

"No, Song, I'm okay," the young prince replied, attempting to look past her head to locate any familiar faces. Song was still lingering at the open door, caving in awkwardly and not taking her light green eyes from the boy. "I'm just trying to find a patient... um... can I come in?"

"Oh," the girl blinked foolishly, "yes, of course! Forgive me." Feeling the warmth on her cheeks spread uncontrollably, Song stepped back to hold the door open for Zuko.

He walked down the clinic as casually as he could, and Song watched him intriguingly before closing the door, and hurrying back to tend to a nose-bleeding Earthbending football player. Every now and then, her curious green eyes would glance around the vast room to find him... and Zuko pretended to let that go unnoticed.

Zuko stepped past the young Earthbender girl, shaking in fright into nothingness, and drinking what looked like some jasmine tea with the boy in the wheelchair. The prince glanced sadly, but his focus was on the Oak Tree clan, and he moved forward. He found Mai crowded around with them as Jet was reclined on a hospital bed. Nurse Yugoda was tending to the charismatic Earthdweller, shirtless and bruised all over his stomach.

And Zuko frowned as he approached the patient, realizing that some of those marks were not bruises at all. They were burns.

His instincts had been correct.

"How many times did you say this woman hit you?" Nurse Yugoda asked suspiciously while bending some water over Jet's stomach.

Jet grunted under his breath as he answered, "Just once... but it feels like it could've been _twenty_... -- oh, hey man."

The Earthdweller had finally seen Zuko enter the circle around the hospital bed, and Mai looked up with a startled eye. One of her hands had been holding Jet's, and Zuko noticed her slight hesitation to move it away.

"I need to ask you about what happened in the woods." Zuko asserted to Jet. "How did my sister attack you?"

"_Princess Azula _did this?" Nurse Yugoda asked, flabbergasted.

"Yeah, and that girl's _still _walking around school property like nobody's business," Jet commented sarcastically, then putting his full attention on Zuko. "She just came in from nowhere! The next thing I knew... her feet were punching my stomach. I felt like it was burning... like she'd split me in two."

Zuko frowned, examining the wound as Nurse Yugoda kept the water over Jet's frame. "Both of her feet came at you at once?"

Jet nodded. "And she was quick as hell. She got Teo and was out of sight before I could lift my head up."

"You're lucky," the nurse commented in her studious voice, "I don't sense any internal bleeding…but I suggest you steer clear from intense physical movement for a while."

"Aw, looks like our crazy_ sex fest_ is gonna have to wait, Sharpy." Jet's eyes nudged at Mai, who blushed and looked like she was about to punch him. Nurse Yugoda stared at them appallingly. "I'm kidding! Sheesh, whatever happened to a good laugh...?"

Fortunately, Zuko hadn't heard any of that. His mind was wandering elsewhere... at the idea that his sister used an unbelievable amount of _Shaolin_ force in order to do one simple task. A mere kick in the stomach had almost proved fatal; only an _idiot_ would go to that extremity without meaning it.

And Azula was no idiot.

"Mai, I need to talk to you," he rasped to the other side of the hospital bed. The pale girl stared up at Zuko, with the blush finally fading her cheeks. She seemed reluctant at first, to let go of Jet's hand... but she got up anyway, and they quietly walked towards one of the open windows in the clinic.

* * *

"Okay guys, so we have exactly _TWO WEEKS _ before showtime, and we still need a ton of polishing to do, now that we changed a few things around…"

Haru was doing his best to bellow his voice to the bustling crowd of kids in the theater. Katara had invited Yue and a few of her tennis mates to the rehearsal… figuring out what bending routine would look good for the representation of the Water Tribe. Sokka seemed to be doing his own thing, putting his warrior costume together without saying anything to Suki just a few feet away. Neither, Hide, nor Chan nor Rion Jon had not shown up (much to anyone's surprise) but On Ji still worked intensely in sewing their warrior costumes, with Kuzon helping her and talking nonstop near the stage. Suganya was stretching her leg muscles with the other Kyoshi onstage, those who'd volunteered for this alternate _OmaShu _production… but she couldn't help but look over worriedly at Haru, who glanced around like any corner of the set would suddenly burst into flames.

And then there was Aang, sitting meditatively onstage… trying to recite his lines while blocking out the noise that echoed along the walls. Trying to imagine that staged kiss between On Ji and himself as the simplest, most meaningless task he would ever do.

But he stomach still felt empty.

"I'm sorry I won't be able to kiss you anymore."

Her voice entered his thoughts like a warmest of sunshine against his skin, and Aang opened his eyes with a grin, meeting her icy blue labyrinth as if it were the first encounter… months ago.

"You mean onstage?" Aang replied teasingly.

Katara blushed and laughed that musical laugh, sitting down next to him without hesitation.

"I'm sorry, too!" The boy nudged a shoulder to Katara's arm, letting the awkwardness between them disappear even more. "I mean, you worked so hard to memorize those lines… and now you won't even get to say them!"

"Yeah," Katara sighed, "but On Ji's been a great understudy. She loves everything about this play. I know she'll do an amazing job as Oma."

Aang nodded, but sadly, staring briefly at his feet as they hung from the edge of the stage.

"Katara, I... I don't have to kiss her... if you don't want me to," he said in a slightly uncomfortable tone as he met her eyes again.

She smiled, leaning even closer bringing an arm around the boy's shoulder to hug him. "The kiss is the most important part of the play, Aang! And with two airbenders, it'll symbolically show how strong your culture really is... how you won't back down without a fight."

The boy stared up at her oddly, and she laughed again. His heart was practically melting as she spoke.

"It's just _acting_, Aang. Go with whatever _you _feel is right."

Without even warning him, Katara leaned over and kissed him tenderly on the cheek. The boy suddenly couldn't feel his own toes, even after her lips had long left his skin.

"Actually," she then started, putting a bit of space between them, "I wanted to ask you something."

Aang gazed up at her, raising both eyebrows curiously.

"See... there's this dance that our school puts up at the end of each year…"

* * *

"That bruising wasn't an accident, Mai," Zuko argued under his gritted teeth, "You _know _how brutal my sister is. I think she did it to try and get to you."

"But she wouldn't dare go up against me," Mai snapped in her husky voice, her arms crossed near the windowsill. The fact that they were standing so close was strangely making her uncomfortable. "I have as much stealth as she does... and I'm not even a bender, Zuko."

"I know," the boy acknowledged that fierce, deadly eye of Mai. "But think for a second. Ever since this guy came into your life... you've been _different_. She believes you have a weakness."

The girl frowned, looking intensely at Zuko's concerned copper eyes. "Do _you _think I'm weak?"

It took him a second to study the intensity of her voice. He could actually see this new Mai filtering through that firm, narrow glance of hers. The Oak Tree Clan had done wonders. She wasn't that same quiet, withdrawn... mysterious girl he had once felt so attached to.

"Not at all," he rasped just enough for her to catch.

Mai sighed and turned towards the sunlight at the window, her copper eyes glimmered with intent. "I'm not afraid of your sister."

Zuko found himself nodding without any more argument, knowing that he could not force her to do anything out of her own will. All he could do was speak his mind.

"I won't stop you from seeing him," his eyes were firm as he looked at her. "I'm just asking you, as a _friend_... to be cautious."

And she nodded in return, looking down at Zuko's hand that rested on the windowsill and letting her own hand touch it with reassurance. She didn't say a word, except look him in the eyes with full understanding... before she left to return to Jet's side.

Zuko remained where he was, taking a moment to look out the window and believe that whatever Azula had in mind for Mai, or Katara, or for even that young airbending kid… it would fail to be executed.

That was when he noticed a rather strange figure wandering around the outskirts of Mr. Mechanist's laboratory building. A man with a third eye tattooed on his forehead… who stared up at the rickety building… as if debating whether or not it would collapse on its own.

* * *

**A/N - whew, lots of shipping drama!** **I feel bad because I kinda left some characters out there in the cold, but you'll see more of them later. Toph and Sokka will play major roles again, I swear! More bending battles in the next one.** **Hugs! --MM**


	29. Self Control

"Guys, I know you probably don't like me very much right now, but..."

Ty Lee paused, trying to relieve an itch from her shoulder while she was tied down to the chair, all the way to her ankles.

"...but I really _appreciate_ you letting me be part of your secret meeting!"

The ropes were Sokka's idea, as much as Aang and Brei An deemed it unnecessary. Katara just went with it for the sake of gathering information about Azula, and properly welcoming the newest member of the Airbending community at Praying Mantis High. Loung couldn't help but snicker in the background, watching that once-ruthless acrobat move uncomfortably in her confinement. On Ji punched him on the shoulder to quiet, and the boy hid under his dreadlocks.

"Don't take this personally," Katara explained about the ropes, briefly glaring at Sokka, "We're just not entirely sure we can trust you, yet."

"Yeah," Toph stomped firmly at Ty Lee, making Yue flinch from the chair behind her, "thanks to you, I'm not stepping onto another glider_ as long as I live_!"

"Sweetie," the cheerleader's eyes seemed to lower empathetically to the little Earthbender as she spoke, "Princess Azula wasn't planning to hurt anybody yesterday."

While Toph barked a "DON'T CALL ME SWEETIE!" and looked ready to charge at the chair-bound girl, Zuko let his raspy voice fill the room angrily from the back.

"How do you _know that_, Ty Lee?" the young prince challenged, his hand flailing out of his pant pockets. "Azula does _everything_ with full intent, and she never shows pity. She attacked the airbenders in the woods. She brought food poisoning to the water tribes' meals in the cafeteria. She sabotaged the airgliders, knowing just how dangerous those falls would be. Hell... do I even have to explain _this _to you?"

At that, Zuko removed his jacket hood and pointed to the brutal scar that marked his face. Ty Lee had made a faint attempt to say '_that was an accident!_' but everyone turned to the prince (except for Toph, raising a confused brow) and watched his angry, glimmering eyes silently explain how that scar had been far from accidental. Mai's eyes lowered themselves to the ground instantly.

Not even Katara knew the story behind that scar, but the fact that was Azula's doing was enough to conclude that the princess was heartless.

She needed to go down.

Aang finally spoke up, staying calm with a short breath. "She's trying to play at one of us every single time, maybe to _scare _us until she gets her way. Even if we're _not _afraid of her, she threatens to hurt the people we're close to... believing _that _will be enough for us to back down."

"We need to find a way to get _ahead_ of her," Sokka pondered, a hand to his chin, "To be ready for whatever she might throw at us before elections. This is bad... she's so _calculating!_"

As Katara brought a hand to her brother's flustered form, she smiled bravely. "The last thing we have to do is make an extraordinary _OmaShu _performance on Saturday. If we watch each other's backs, I know we can convince the whole school that Unity will keep this school strong."

Aang smiled at Katara, suddenly forgetting that Jet and Zuko were in the same room. He practically forgot all about Ty Lee still strapped to the chair.

"Alright, so next order of business..." Sokka unrolled a long piece of parchment. "Aang's Bending Progress: Will the Avatar-in-Training be Ready to Show his Skills by Saturday?"

Sokka turned dramatically over to Toph (raising a brow, again) and he absentmindedly waited a few seconds before asking, "So how's his Earthbending coming along?"

Toph just picked her nose and slouched in her classroom chair. "Meh...he's no _me_, but he'll wow the crowd by show-time on Saturday. I give him a B+."

Aang grinned delightfully, hearing Suganya laugh ridiculously in the background as Sokka promptly turned over to Katara for the next grade.

"He and I have been working on the advanced freezing techniques, and he got the water whip down faster than I ever did!" Katara smiled without any sense of remorse or jealousy, as Yue softly added, 'I saw then training together one afternoon. He is really good!'

"Aang's a natural with this element," Katara then said. "I give him an A."

The boy couldn't resist and he shouted 'all right!' happily to the whole classroom, and Jet clapped mockingly while Loung did a little WaterTribe boogie. Even Ty Lee seemed excited for him, now wriggling an itch from her right elbow. Xai, who'd been slouching with his arms crossed against the back wall next to Mai and Jet, couldn't look more bored out of his mind.

"And now... the great Prince of Fire," Sokka snorted at his own formal voice, "Has the Avatar-In-Training mastered the element?"

Zuko has left his hood down and didn't seem at all interested in the light-hearted mood this meeting had brought. His mind had run elsewhere... perhaps determining the whereabouts of his sister or her henchmen... and wondering _why_ a strange man had been encircling the grounds of Mr. Mechanist's office the day before. And then... he remembered something.

_It was the lifelessness of his sister's eyes that caught his mind, then, that one afternoon he'd been practicing in the Shaolin arena of the school. He remembered watching her hands slowly grow more and more enflamed with her iconic blue... watching them reach up to her forearms as if she no longer had control over that element. As if the very element had been _consuming _her..._

And Zuko lifted his head up and glanced at Katara, and then at Aang... as if nobody else in the room was present.

"You'll be good enough for a routine, but you're not ready to face my sister."

Aang blinked almost immediately in question, but Zuko kept talking nevertheless.

"Fire-bending involves energy, but you also need to be _resourceful_. You need to be careful how you use that power, because otherwise, your body will turn weak... and your opponent could easily defeat you."

"But I've been practicing _every move _the way you told me!" Aang proclaimed, his voice almost cracking in the process.

"I know, and I'm sorry," Zuko rasped, frustrated for being a lousy teacher. "You could still perform for the show, but I should've told you about self-control sooner... it's not safe for you to Firebend against my sister if you don't know how to use it."

A small pause drifted through the room, Aang slouching into his chair.

"So, how should I write it down as?" Sokka had his pen lifted from the parchment. "C+ for effort?"

"Oh shut up, Sokka!" Katara punched her brother on the shoulder, "This is serious. If Aang can't defend himself properly, Azula might hurt him before the _OmaShu _play. And he's the lead!"

On Ji winced and made a small sound, like a gasp.

"We all have to work together to keep him out of Azula's clutches. She's already threatened to destroy him!" Katara said with a slight overtone in her voice. "I say we each take turns escorting him within a few days, and we'll use our special bending abilities to make sure that Azula doesn't get near him."

Aang wanted to argue against this, since he was indeed the Avatar-in-Training and felt it should've been the other way around... but it did seem nice that Katara was actually proposing to watch over him more often than usual. Everyone seemed to agree on this plan, slowly raising a chorus of words about availability and class schedules that seemed to work well with Aang's.

The boy had never felt more pleased.

"Well, what if Azula _does _use Fire? Can't Twinkle Toes just weasel his way out of it?" Toph flicked another booger out from her nose as she spoke. "I mean, he _does _know three other elements."

"Right, but Fire's the most unpredictable... and the most deadly," Zuko said, immediately sending angry heads over to his direction. Even Katara seemed displeased with that comment, and a wave of arguing voices started up in defense of their own elements (or lack thereof). Brei An and Loung seemed to be the only ones staring confusingly at the crowd, and it was while the word 'boomerang!' was heard amongst the arguments that Loung glanced at Ty Lee once again... and his eyes popped out with an idea.

"WAIT! Guys... I got it!"

Loung's dreadlocks jumped out with excitement, pointing immediately at the girl still strapped helplessly to the chair. All voices seemed to fade, and Ty Lee hunched over herself nervously... embarrassed at the sudden attention.

"Let me ask you something," Loung said to her.

"Sure!"

"What was that little trick you pulled, back there in the forest during the airbending ceremony?" Loung spoke, and Brei An's eyes quickly rose with recollection. "You punched me in the back, and I could barely feel my toes."

Aang's heart almost stopped, immediately remembering that painful ordeal he'd gone through... paralyzed between his human self and the Avatar State.

"Oh, that wasn't a trick." Ty Lee said cheerfully, but dismissively. "It's a little game I like to call _'_finger jabbing.' I work at a traveling circus in the Earth Kingdom every summer, and all the young girls are _required_ to learn it for basic self-defense! You temporarily freeze parts of your opponent's body (or bending elements) just enough so you can get away."

"I remember that game," Zuko recollected with thin copper eyes, "You and Azula used to sneak up behind me and jab my arms to see if it would work."

Toph snickered, and way in the back, Mai couldn't help but grin to herself at those memories.

Katara's mouth was agape. "_Azula knows_?" she wondered out loud.

"Well, she got the hang of the some moves," Ty Lee recalled, "but she thought 'finger jabbing' was about strength and power!"

"Then what's it about?" Xai asked impatiently, barely standing this girl's perky demeanor.

"It's speed and accuracy," Ty Lee explained with the same enthusiasm, "you have to _understand_ how your opponent moves, and I guess Azula wasn't patient enough for that."

Aang looked over at the waterbender's curious gaze, already getting that certain vibe.

"The perfect move comes at the _moment _your opponent doesn't expect it, or even better... when they feel like they already _won,"_ Ty Lee continued to explain happily, noticing how Katara seemed to be in utter awe of such an ability.

With an unsure gaze at the very cheerful girl, Katara crossed her arms uncomfortably and mumbled "could you teach me?" without even breathing.

"_NO!_" Aang and Sokka immediately heard themselves say in surprise, but Katara didn't react so violently. It was like in the back of her mind, she had been _hoping _somebody would disagree.

"Why not?" Toph asked appallingly but in slight defense, "Miss Water Nymph can pick up techniques like the back of her hand, and Princess Crazy's out to get her. _Of course _she can use a few finger moves!"

"No, Toph, they're right," Katara stammered a little in her words, but exchanging a very understanding glance with Aang from the back of the classroom. "I know it's supposed to be for Azula, but I can't _trust myself_ with that kind of power."

Toph raised a brow, but smirking mischievously nonetheless as she left that subject alone.

Aang couldn't help but smile, proud that Katara had received his advice without argument. He then surveyed the room of airbenders and friends... glancing finally back at Ty Lee. "If we're going to defend Katara's mission before the play... the best person to learn _finger-jabbing _is someone who knows self-control."

"Yep. Self-control is key!" Ty Lee added. "Azula wasn't patient enough; she didn't understand that the best self-defense comes when your using the opponent's energy _against _them."

"Sounds like the Kyoshi's technique," Suganya pointed out.

"That's right!" Ty Lee exclaimed, lifting her legs up for a little monkey swing as they were still entwined to the chair. "We had a Kyoshi girl work in the circus last summer... she picked it up quickly!"

"Hey, maybe _you _should learn _finger-jabbing_," the short airbender with dreadlocks suggested to Suganya. "That way if Azula threatens the Kyoshi before elections, you'll be one step ahead of her."

"I would..." Suganya turned over to Loung, "...but it's wrong."

Xai stammered at the girl with lovely make-up. "What do you mean, '_it's wrong_?' At this point, the more moves an airbender can hold against that crazy lady, the better."

"But _weakening_ an opponent isn't part of our philosophy, Xai," Brei An's quiet little voice sprung up next to Loung's seat. "It's what I learned after listening to Hide; he needed someone to be at level with him... to understand what he had been going through."

"She's right, Xai," Aang came out whole-heartedly in her defense, explaining it to everyone. "Airbenders have to create peace between their enemies, no matter how difficult the situation is. We're not supposed to overpower _anyone_."

"Blocking someone else's _chi_ isn't fair in our nature," Suganya then added most matter-of-factly. "I'll be purposefully giving myself the advantage over the opponent. It's no better than to say the best way to treat a wounded animal is by eating it."

Aang and the others made a disgruntled look at that, but Sokka just crossed his arms.

"Well hypothetically," Sokka started in his own matter-of-fact rant, "if the animal _is_ badly wounded, you might as well put it out of its misery. And _why should you have to starve to death_?"

Suganya and Katara had frowned in unison towards the meat-loving idiot, but Aang, however, seemed to have finally found a potential student for Ty Lee. All eyes and smiles eventually agreed, leaving Sokka completely dumbfounded with raised eyebrows.

"What?"

* * *

"_No. Absolutely not," _came the childish husky voice.

"Jet, _quit _bringing me into this! I told you, I don't want to dance."

Smellerbee crossed her arms as Mai made her own reluctant statement about the boy's idea. The scrawny girl was so appalled, she tried to look away from Mai's proper stance at all costs.

"Bee, what's the deal?" the Earthdweller asked oddly with fig of straw in his mouth and leaning against the tree. "She's a pretty good ballroom dancer. Salsa shouldn't be a problem with her."

"But she's not a _hip hop _dancer," the little girl's eyeliner thickened from her words, shrugging her shoulders in frustration. "How's Sharpy supposed to learn a whole routine by this weekend?"

"... I think Jet said he wants us to teach her," Pipsqueak murmured at Bee's side, but she just elbowed the big guy in the ribs.

"I don't like it," the little girl's husky voice came back, "She gonna mess up onstage, and she'll make us look bad in front of the _entire school_. It'll be humiliating!"

Jet rolled his eyes, realizing that his friend's Runner-Up title from last year's _Street Fest _was still somewhat attached to her ego. Mai's copper eyes thinned into a glare, pursing her lips.

"Well I'll save you the embarrassment," Mai replied with husky bite, muttering '_stupid idea_' as she turned around to leave.

"Mai, hold on..." Jet grabbed her wrist bravely from out of the shade, and as much as Mai wanted to jerk it off, she remained where she was.

And she sighed. "I was planning to hang some of my artwork onstage, anyway."

"_See?_" Smellerbee mentioned absolutely. "She _admits_ she doesn't wanna do it."

Jet refused to let Mai step away any farther, and so he brought an arm admirably around her waist to bring her back into the Oak Tree's shade.

"Listen, you two..." Jet grasped the straw in his mouth tightly with his teeth as he looked at the hesitant Pipsqueak and reluctant Smellerbee. "If we're gonna help Katara's campaign and represent the coolest Non-Benders in school, we've gotta work on this thing together. Now Longshot's out in suspension, and I can't dance for the sake of my stomach... so _you _guys are the only ones who can teach Sharpy here our routine by Saturday."

"Do I _have_ to?" Pipsqueak mulled over childishly in his baritone voice, feeling perfectly comfortable under the shade.

"_Yes, _Squeakers," Jet proclaimed in a smile. "Come on, get up... the first part of the dance is in couples..."

So Pipsqueak finished the last of his break juice and wiped his hands before nervously taking Mai's hand by the stiff grip.

"Bee?" Jet eyed over to his favorite little tomboy, and with a loud grunt... Smellerbee uncrossed her arms and led the dancing pair to the first steps of Salsa.

As the scrawny Earthdweller girl directed with the occasional 'Pipsqueak, hold her weight against you' and '_no, Sharpy! _It's one-two _TURN!'... _Mai's pale face almost came back with color. Jet watched amusingly as she tried to stay calm within the forwards and backs, and at one point when Pipsqueak accidentally stepped on her foot, Mai glanced over to Jet with a look that said 'I hate you. I _really really _hate you.'

But the boy grinned nonetheless, seeing his girlfriend finally starting to loosen up to his Oak Tree crowd. And he chewed on the straw in his mouth, trying to ignore the fact that he'd be graduating within a few weeks.

* * *

Zuko had not intended to eavesdrop on her mother, of all people. Usually he would most humbly stop by to greet her as he passed by the History classroom to his locker every afternoon.

A few days had passed since the Katara's secret campaign meeting, and Zuko longed for a break from the constant vigilance of a carefree kid. He was actually supposed to meet with his mother and Uncle Iroh today, to discuss his plans after graduation more thoroughly... deciding once and for all if he should stay in the Fire Nation and shadow the Royal Ambassadors... or instead, take the opportunity to explore other regions of the world through voluntary service. The same path that Uncle and Lu Ten had taken.

Katara seemed to enjoy this subject, anyway, saying that he should embrace his youth and travel the world before he was destined to take a seating in the Royal courtroom. Her enthusiasm about it was more than enough for the two of them, but Zuko felt another headache, wondering if he was capable to leave his country for a year... maybe even more.

His mother seemed to be the most unbiased about the subject, and he was anticipating her feelings about such a decision. Zuko was ready to knock on the slightly-closed door to her classroom, when he overhead her voice speak sadly from within.

"_I just don't know what to do with her, anymore."_

Zuko closed his eyes, not having to guess who she'd been talking about.

A few days had already passed since that dreadful speech, and the woman could still hear her daughter's frighteningly determined voice in her mind. Ms. Ursa brought one of her slender, distraught hands to her face as she finally settled down behind her desk... gratefully accepting a fresh cup of ginseng tea from her favorite person in the world.

"Ursa, please be calm," Iroh said bluntly. He knew the ruthlessness in his niece just as much as Ursa, but it broke his heart to see this young woman so wilted in stress. It almost made her look his age, and that frightened him.

"Perhaps it's a good thing I'm passing down my tea-making art to your son," he then remarked with a slightly cheerful tone. "Who _knows _how much longer I will be in this world?"

Zuko, still holding himself quietly outside the door, flinched at the dreadful idea of losing his Uncle. He wondered if now was the opportunity to break that conversation by entering the room, but his hand hesitated.

Ursa rose her copper eyes to Iroh curiously, then boldly thinning them. "Don't say that," she said while shaking her head in slight disbelief and amusement. "You still have a long career as Fire Lord ahead of you."

"I know, and bringing back the Fire Nation's honor should be very interesting," Iroh commented in sarcasm, reclined back into his chair as he took a sip of his own tea.

_Interesting, he thought... but exhausting._

_He had grown up watching his father practically shunned by the rest of the world... watching him struggle to reclaim the Fire Nation's respect among the other cultures... after Sozin corrupted their trust with war. Iroh knew he would someday have to pick up where Fire Lord Azulon would leave off, and he knew the journey would be difficult. All it took were those overwhelmed, exhausted eyes of his father to remind young Iroh that his future responsibilities would be unpleasant. It would've been easier to say that Iroh and Ozai had grown up without a father, and the adventurous prince took the liberty of raising his younger brother into a brave, natural-born leader. _

_Iroh had taken pride in keeping his only family close, while his father Azulon struggled abroad to fix Fire Lord Sozin's mistakes. He was surprised, however, seeing his little brother grow more bold as a leader as each year went by. It did not bother Iroh, at first, because he felt proud that his paternal instincts had made Ozai less afraid of the world... and more determined to find his own place in the Royal court. _

_But the prince had never expected his brother to speak against him, years later... proclaiming to their father that _he _was the more capable leader. That Fire Lord Ozai would forcefully retrieve the respect and the honor their family deserved from the world. Iroh remembered the young, determined voice of Ozai as he courageously spoke his mind before Fire Lord Azulon's throne. If it had gone his way, Iroh would've supported the ide_a... _surrendering his responsibilities to someone who greatly desired them... but the sharpness in Ozai's voice was what terrified Iroh. He barely recognized that little brother, who'd once been so scared of mice._

_Inevitably, Fire Lord Azulon denied his son's request, with very harsh words that Iroh could still hear in metallic echoes through his mind. Azulon was extremely appalled by his son's bold attempt at breaking tradition, bellowing that he'd shunned his older brother's years of intellect and training in a matter of words. It had been an insult to the man's heart... and the Fire Lord dismissed Ozai from the room, telling him to take responsibility with his new wife and children... because those people would truly bring him honor for the future Fire Nation._

_And that was when Iroh saw the spark in his brother's eyes disappear. It was when Ozai's frown became a permanent mark on his face, and the idea of raising Azula and Zuko became nothing but a long-running burden for him._

_It wasn't long after that dreadful incident in the throne room, when Ozai ultimately disappeared from the Royal Palace... leaving nothing but a heartbroken, confused family behind._

Iroh carefully took another sip of his tea, letting the warm steam sooth for just a moment before speaking to Ursa. The way she kept her gaze to her cup was no different than the instances she'd done it before... as if contemplating what she could've possibly done to help keep a certain person close to her life, years ago.

"To tell you the truth, I am much more content here," the old man admitted full-heartedly, resting his tea cup on his stomach. "But we cannot help but endure the responsibilities that Fate gives to us. You shouldn't feel burdened by her, Ursa. She's just going through a rough time."

Ursa paused for a little while, taking the time to filter each word that Iroh said.

"Ozai was a wonderful father, and he meant so much to her," Ursa recalled sadly. "I don't know why she refuses to listen to me, now."

Zuko could no longer rely on self-control. He _needed _to be a part of this conversation. This was his family, and he couldn't help but feel guilty that his decision would determine whether or not they would fall apart. Sometimes, he wished he'd been born into another family... perhaps in Aang's who didn't carry the burden of blood relatives... or Katara's, who loved her brother and father in spite of their differences and heartache.

Sometimes, the boy wished he didn't have to care so much. To _still _care so much about a sister who was lifelessly letting herself fall into madness.

"_Don't shut her out of your life, Ursa." _Zuko heard his Uncle's pleading-yet-firm voice by the door. _"She may be stubborn, but she is very much like her father... you remember? Only when she feels defeated will she really open up to you. And all you can do is listen."_

And that was when Zuko boldly knocked on the door.

* * *

"How's the big campaign speech going?" Aang felt his heart fluttering by this opportunity he had to walk with Katara to her locker, for once being an escort instead of the _escorted_.

The fact that she asked him to a school dance hadn't completely registered in his mind, yet... mainly because the boy had never _been _to a social dance before. But Aang couldn't help but keep that grin on his face as Katara spoke... remembering how wonderful it felt to be asked.

"It's almost finished!" she said excitingly. "Sokka actually found time in his schedule to help me, and I've been practicing at home with Dad – he's such a natural public speaker, it's amazing."

"Are you going to make it super powerful and dramatic?"

"It started out like that, but I don't know... it just didn't sound right," Katara said absentmindedly, taking a few of her books and papers out of her locker. "Zuko once had to take a public speaking workshop at the palace, and he said the trick is to keep your audience engaged by talking about what _you_ feel... rather than assuming you know how the _audience_ feels and speak on their behalf."

"I guess Azula already failed that test," the boy remarked, attempting to make the lovely waterbender laugh.

"In a way, I think you're right," Katara was picking up a folded piece of paper that had fallen from her top shelf. "It doesn't really help if what you're trying to do is _scare_ your audience into feeling something. That's the only reason she's won the past two ye--"

She stopped in mid-sentence as she unfolded the piece of paper. The moment she'd read Aang's name in the writing, Katara crumpled the paper closed before the young airbender could look over her shoulder.

"What is it?" Aang raised brow oddly to Katara's worried eyes, fully noticing the paper in her hands. "Did you get a bad test grade or something?"

"Y–yes..." the girl couldn't stop herself from blushing, _praying_ that Toph wouldn't show up from a corner and announce that she was a liar. "It's Mr. Mechanist's pop quiz from last week. He wants me to go talk to him about extra credit."

"Do all the teachers leave notes in student lockers?" Aang wondered curiously, suspiciously.

"Some of them do," Katara grinned, trying to keep her voice from shaking as she closed her locker door. "Usually it's easier to get a hold of a student that way, instead of tracking them down in person."

"Oh," the boy replied off-hand, but still studying Katara's uncertainty that filtered through her blue eyes. "Well, do you want me to go with you?"

"No!" Katara heard her jumpy voice say, almost too quickly, but calmed herself down. "Besides, you're supposed to meet with On Ji for play rehearsal... remember?"

"Katara, that can wait." Aang did the best he could to approach her, to touch her arm and meet her eyes in the only way that could bring assurance that she was alright.

But she wasn't even looking at him, then.

"It's just a meeting, Aang. I'll be okay," the girl said lightly with a nervous smile, turning her head to exchange a hopeful look in his eyes. "You go on ahead."

Knowing he couldn't get anything else out from her, Aang bravely put a smile on his face, reassuring himself that whatever Katara was hiding... she could handle it on her own. She was courageous, after all. It was one of the things that Aang first loved about her, and he needed to trust her judgement.

Before he could stop himself, the young airbender lifted his toes and planted a soft kiss on Katara's cheek, for good luck, and then scampered off before the girl could say anything.

The sudden tenderness of Aang's lips almost made her forget she still had a crumpled paper in her hand. Katara knew what she had to do, but she felt steady... knowing that the Avatar-in-Training would be far from any harm's way.

With a grip in her hand, Katara took her leave towards Mr. Mechanist's abandoned laboratory building, knowing full well who she was about to deal with.

* * *

"Okay, cutey... you ready to learn some finger punches?"

Ty Lee was dressed in her full pink and purple cheerleading uniform, hands on her hips as she stared sweetly at Sokka. "I'll go easy on you!"

Sokka was slouching as he stood facing her, his eyes clearly lacking enthusiasm.

"Can't you just _tell_ me where the pressure points are?" Sokka kept his hands in his pockets, shifting uncomfortably at the idea of touching a girl other than Suki (as much as she was still avoiding him during rehearsals.)

"No way!" Ty Lee exclaimed, her voice squeaking with disappointment. "This isn't like a game of 'connect the dots'... _silly boy_. You gotta be alert and _quick_ about the punching! Always be one step ahead of the other guy."

Sokka still looked elsewhere, wary, as if in any moment he would see Suki... or his Boy Scout leader buddies watching him make a fool of himself. This was so humiliating, he thought, but he kept reminding himself that he was only doing this to protect Katara's mission.

"Now, I'm gonna send some quick jabs in your direction, so don't let me poke you!" Ty Lee smirked cunningly yet innocently to the handsome watertribesman.

"Um, so how do I exactly block the--"

But before Sokka could even finish his question, Ty Lee leapt into the air on a tumble, with her arms straight and her hands gripping onto each of his shoulders. The boy yelped involuntarily and stumbled forward, feeling a good number of jabs along his spine as Ty Lee landed gracefully back on solid ground... her hands back to her hips.

Sokka was left in a bulk mass, twitching on the ground like a pretzel, one eye barely looking up from the ground to see Ty Lee giggling at him.

"Less than a second, cutey," was all she said to Sokka as he spit dirt from his mouth, "That's all it takes. Now while you're just lying around... Let me show you some basic blocking moves!"

Ty Lee parted her feet and her arms for a wide stretch, as if summoning energy from the ground and the sky, respectively. She kept a permanent grin on her face, and as Sokka could feel his neck coming back to him... he lifted himself to gather every single move she was making. Ty Lee giggled as he stared at her... quite pleased with the attention she was getting.

"Now the most dangerous places to get jabbed – as you may have noticed – is the spinal cord and the base of your neck. While I was gripping your shoulders, I'll bet you were too stunned to even notice that I'd poked at your neck right behind your left ear!"

Sokka nodded, feeling somewhat unable to speak completely, and Ty Lee did a 'tsk tsk' sound and pointed a teasingly disappointed finger at him.

"It's a natural reaction from your neck muscles... you always look up whenever that pressure point behind your ear is hit. Once I hit the base of the neck, the rest of the spinal cord sort of _panics_ and becomes vulnerable to pressure points. That's why it didn't take you that long to go down!" Ty Lee giggled, mostly at her own formal explanation of things she did for mere fun.

The young watertribesman could feel his upper body now, but just barely. His arms felt like they'd just gotten run over by a cabbage cart... but he tried to hold his weight by the elbows.

"How– long– before I can– stand up, again?" He managed through his numb jaw.

Ty Lee smirked. "About fifteen minutes."

"_Wonderful,_" Sokka muttered to himself, frowning and grunting as he positioned his body more comfortably on the ground as Ty Lee continued to explain.

"So instead of being stunned, you gotta _block that point _as soon as you can with your hand," she gestured with one of her own hands, "draping it across the shoulder. That will also keep me from tumbling on top of you! But it has to be _really quick._"

The girl began to demonstrate some more blocking moves, emphasizing on the secondary pressure points that came along each of the arms, legs, and abdominal muscles. Her voice maintained the same perky, almost spacey aura to it, and Sokka tried to filter it out of his mind in order to concentrate on what she was saying.

By the time he received full feeling back into his body, Sokka had already managed to mimic the blocking moves for the 'spinal cord tumble' and the 'crouching abdominal skewer'.

And luckily, he remembered he still had his boomerang strapped to his back. This gave him a very sneaky plan.

"Ready to take it to Round Two, cutey?" Ty Lee made a devilish grin to the handsome boy, her hands once again on her hips. Sokka raised a brow in surprise, just as he was about to grab his boomerang.

"Wait– wait– _I'm not ready!_"

Sokka brought his arms out defensively but weakly, feeling his knees buckle at the idea of getting paralyzed a second time. He bit his lip with determination, however, as Ty Lee brought her tiny hands into fists and aimed to his direction.

Just as she was about to leap, Sokka took out his boomerang and lanced it just below one of her kneecaps... a very useful pressure point. Ty Lee squeaked and stammered back into the ground in pain, clearly not expecting that at all as she rubbed her kneecap tenderly.

"HAH!" Sokka shouted in victory, doing a little boogie for good measure. "How do you like _that_, 'cutey?' Pressure Point Extraordinaire!"

Ty Lee's smile instantly feel into a small frown, and it seemed like Sokka was too preoccupied with his victory dance, he didn't notice that his own boomerang had been lanced back towards his direction.

It hit his neck, squarely and surely... and Sokka practically choked in his own spit, stumbling backwards.

"Oh no! I– I'm sorry!" Ty Lee hurried over to help him. "I was aiming for the _stomach_."

But by the time she'd carefully tried to tend to the choking Sokka, a loud "HOW DARE YOU ATTACK MY BOYFRIEND!" thundered in from the nearest corridor.

Sokka's eyes bulged, feeling the blood drain from his legs as he watched Suki dash like a Komodo Rhino from the school building to his rescue. Ty Lee turned just in time to make a rusty backflip and dodge Suki's determined punch.

"_Wait _-- Suki -- it's OKAY! She's just teaching me how to--" Sokka attempted to say through his painful neck. He tried to jump in between them, but the two girls were now entwined with their blocking moves and jabbing.

In a matter of last resort, Sokka held his breath and studied his ex-girlfriend's movements within seconds... and immediately afterwards... he took Ty Lee's non-bending strategy into practice.

Suki didn't even feel the light pokes that went down the base of her spine... but the next moment she tried to step forward... her legs practically turned to stone.

"Sukz, I'm sorry. I couldn't think of anything else to– I was just... oh Suki, I'm_ really, really _sorry!" Sokka kept saying over and over as the Kyoshi looked up from her useless legs in a stunned manner. Ty Lee had maintained a defensive graceful stance a few feet away, looking from warrior to the other in confused silver eyes.

Before Suki could even get a word in, Sokka embraced her, tightly... talking _nonstop_ about how sorry he was for not speaking to her, or not having the guts to tell her about Yue earlier, and that he was an idiot. A huge, colossal, _unforgivable idiot_.

"Sokka?" Suki finally felt her legs return to her favor, and she could already feel her eyes brimming with tears while she caressed the watertribesman's back. "Sokka, it's okay. No, I... _I'm the idiot._ I should not have reacted that way over a _stupid letter.._."

And she went on and on about that, holding him tightly and hearing Sokka sniffle near her ears. It didn't matter if her Kyoshi make-up was getting ruined from holding his face too tightly. She was so happy to be in his arms again.

The only thing that caught Ty Lee's attention was the mentioning of a letter... and it drew her eyes open like an alarm. _Oh, _she thought, _THAT letter! _And she concluded that it was time to call the jab-training over, and leave those two reconciled lovebirds alone.

Still, she couldn't help but giggle as she tiptoed away... hearing poetic words pass between the two warriors as they started kissing... making up for precious lost time.

* * *

Somewhere in between thoughts of regret and wonder, the young airbender felt Monk Gyatso would be ashamed of him... walking effortlessly along the corridors as he worried about Katara.

_Why did she lie to me?_

It didn't make any sense, and there was small pit swimming in his stomach from the idea that she didn't trust him. Aang closed his eyes meditatively as he walked, trying to find a reason behind Katara's actions... setting all assumptions aside.

She _knew _how ruthless Azula was, and she _knew_ that if she used waterbending under any circumstance, she'd be taken out of the student elections. Perhaps this didn't have anything to do with Azula at all...

_Perhaps, _the boy felt his mind encounter those fits of jealousy once again, unable to stop them_, she just said that so she could be with Zuko? Was she trying to get rid of me? Did she just ask me to the dance because she felt SORRY for me!?_

Aang felt his chest grow heavier as he walked, feeling a dizzy spell kick in. He stopped and rested his body against the wall, taking a short breath and refusing to let those thoughts grow any deeper. The voice of Monk Gyatso blanketed his web of worriment once again.

_My dear boy, the young heart is always vulnerable to jealousy, but an airbender must learn to overcome those feelings. Only then can you understand the importance of unconditional love._

Aang took another breath, using all his strength to muster those words. As an airbender, and as the Avatar-in-Training... it was his responsibility to follow his instincts and protect the people he knew were in danger. And Katara... regardless of the reasoning behind her lie... was undoubtedly in some sort of trouble.

On Ji _herself_ said that he needed to protect the waterbender before anyone else. She'd understand if he would be late for _OmaShu _rehearsal. She would Listen.

Quickly, Aang briskly ran the other way, knowing exactly where he had to be.

* * *

**A/N - Happy belated valentine's day! I was hoping to finish this earlier, but some character development was giving me a hard time. Oh teen aangst. Anyway, thanks for reading as usual. I'm foreseeing about 3 chapters left (maybe an epilogue?) so please be patient as I put this whole story to good closure!** **--MM**


	30. Bending Battles

The meeting with his mother and Uncle had passed just as quickly as he imagined, remembering bits of phrases that were exchanged in the History classroom while he sat on one of the steps near the courtyard.

"_I think The Royal Fire Academy for Girls will be the best for her," _he recalled his mother's lighthearted, defeated voice. _"They have always had a strong reputation for leadership-training; perhaps that is where she belongs."_

Zuko plucked out a few bits of the grass, inflaming them with the heat of his palm as he kept hearing the conversation in his mind. It seemed to make logical sense, sending his sister away to a place that would better suit her... but he didn't understand why he'd questioned it.

_Mom... I don't think sending Azula away is going to change anything about her. _His eyes had thinned to Ms. Ursa, and Uncle even flinched by the honesty that came in Zuko's usually-rough prince had pressed a hand to his burned cheek, resisting the attempt to bring up those brawls that had occurred from the moment Fire Lord Ozai had lefttheir lives.

Zuko watched the little grass blades curl into burnt crisps in his hand, remembering... wondering how those numerous episodes of rage had been possible in an eight-year-old girl without wearing her thin. And wondering how... perhaps if his own pride had not been too great... it could've all been prevented.

Taking in a difficult breath as he remembered one more thing he'd proclaimed to his mother.

_She's going to think we abandoned her, too._

"Prince Zuko!"

He jerked his head up at the sound of his name, spotting On Ji as she was air-skating over to him from the school's and Xai were running right behind her in alarm.

Zuko cursed a 'dammit' under his breath. _I had OmaShu rehearsal today, didn't I..._

He picked himself up from the stairwell, ready to face Haru and his ever-dramatic lecturing... but one distraught look from On Ji told him that this didn't had nothing to do with _OmaShu._

"It's Aang," On Ji said, almost panting with her words coming out in slight tremors. She could barely look at Zuko in the eye. "He... he Spoke to me."

Zuko raised a brow - as if he'd missed something cryptic - looking over at Suganya for some assurance that On Ji wasn't going crazy. Xai slapped a hand to his shaking head from a corner.

"He said he was going to be late for rehearsal," On Ji continued without taking a break for explanations, "Something about protecting Katara."

The little girl's voice was turning rigid, and Suganya took over by the quick glace Zuko had made to her.

"On Ji's came over to me in the middle of my _OmaShu _dance to ask if I could get a Listening on Azula."

"_Listening?" _Zuko's eyes were falling from confused to over-the-top fluster as he looked over to the emotionally distant Xai to the very right. Xai seemed to understand fully well what she'd been talking about, but a hand was still covering his face like a headache. "_What the hell--?"_

"Dude, _chill,_ okay?" Xai immediately moved the hand towards Zuko to shush him. "It's an Airbending sort of – thing. _Anyway, _we think Azula's about to knock out your girlfriend_._"

"She's not my--" Zuko blinked, lacking breath to finish that 'girlfriend' comment as he noticed On Ji's face get covered shamefully by her hands. "What're you talking about? _Where is she?_"

His mind was already forming a dark whirlwind of possibilities, as he turned from one airbender to the other... feeling his heartbeats quicken in his chest from numerous unsaid questions. He no longer thought about his mother, or Uncle, or even the rash possible whereabouts of his sister. All he could think about was the safety of a certain girl who'd once gotten him out of the rain.

Suganya comforted On Ji by the shoulders, speaking up again.

"I tried to Listen, but Azula's mind is closed off... like she was focusing _too_ _deeply _on something else. It was like staring at a brick wall--"

Xai groaned annoyingly at the Kyoshi girl. "_Will you please skip the analogy and get to the damn point?_ This guy's face is gonna explode."

Zuko could feel the warmth brewing in his flustered face, turning to On Ji as her eyes stayed hidden from her bangs. As difficult as it was, she finished what Suganya was saying.

"This Combustion wacko's gonna blow up the lab," Xai finished instantly with his arms crossed to Zuko, "and I'm pretty sure it's _no coincidence _your sister invited him to do it, right when she's about to deal with her election rival."

Zuko stared at Xai quizzically, wondering where that bitter tone of voice was coming from. Nevertheless he brought himself back up to a stance, looking out towards the area of Praying Mantis where an angle of the lone Mechanist's lab was still standing half a mile away.

"But what does confronting Katara have to do with Aang?"

He was just about to say something else, when a rough-yet-withered voice suddenly broke in.

"Azula's gonna take him into the Forest."

They all turned... and there was Hide, walking in a slight limp into their presence from the school.

* * *

_I will attempt to make this sound as persuasive as possible:_

Katara could practically hear Azula's voice echo out of thin air, as the letter's words continued to travel along her worried mind while she ran to the Mechanist's laboratory.

_Suppose we have an opportunity to speak. No tricks... no bending. Just one fellow candidate to another, defending her potential title before the big vote is made next week._ _Perhaps this little chat will give us a better understanding of what Praying Mantis school ultimately needs, and let us agree that by the end of this talk... ONE of us shall back down._

The girl sprinted over to the back-door of the building, panting in breath and making absolutely sure that nobody could spot her. Katara clutched the water pouch strapped to her back, reassuring to herself it was still there.

_I propose that we meet in the Mechanist's empty laboratory right after today's last gong. I shall be waiting in the man's central office on the second floor. Please take this proposal with good caution; I would _hate_ to see the Avatar-in-Training suffer terribly due to your bad judgement._

_Come alone._

That was the last thing Katara could recall, as the letter stayed crumpled in her hand like so much trash. Her brows furrowed, overlooking the height of the Mechanist's red-brick laboratory building and the contrast it made to Praying Mantis's Gothic stone exterior in the distance. There an ominous air drifting along her ears, but Katara ignored it terribly, knowing she had to face this woman before anyone else... before Aang... would get hurt.

Katara gripped the handle of the rickety wooden door, and entered the gray, dusty catacombs of the laboratory.

* * *

Zuko and Xai stood furiously towards Hide, keeping On Ji in their protective reach as Suganya's hands held two open Kyoshi fans. On Ji herself glared at Hide curiously but fiercely within the trio of kids who were involuntarily guarding her.

Hide remained in his limping stance, his face looking old and defeated as he stared back at them.

Xai grit his teeth, shielding On Ji's frame with an arm. "You step any closer and I'll _blow your head off, asshole._"

"I'm not gonna hurt you guys, okay?" Hide's eyes were lingering bitterly to each of them, and he practically avoided On Ji's gaze. "I just... I want to help you."

"_Help us?_" Suganya almost cracked a laugh. "Brei An might've gotten the better of you, but you _really_ _expect_ us to trust you, now that you suddenly say you want to _help us??_"

"How do we know this isn't another one of my sister's tricks?" Zuko rasped harshly, feeling the burnt skin on his face go numb.

Xai stepped forward at that, as if about to lay the first blow on Hide while the tanned Firebender frowned and just remained exhausted-looking.

"Look... if you don't want to listen to me, that's _your problem_,_" _ Hide avoided On Ji's gaze at all costs, holding onto what seemed like a bruised arm as he stepped back defensively. He glared over at Zuko. "Personally, I'm done dealing with Azula's crazy shit, but I figured you should know... _she's gonna kill the kid_."

"_What!?"_ On Ji's throat went dry, her eyes glimmering with worry.

"The _Avatar-in-Training_ or whatever..." Hide continued without acknowledging On Ji, comforting his bruised arm with a grunt. "She wanted me to take him into the forest with the other guys while she dealt with the Water girl, and when I told her 'no'... she got disappointed."

Hide grit his teeth as he looked down at the grass, comforting his arm by perhaps bruises that were covered by his sleeves. On Ji's eyes thinned towards the arm, as if she'd mentally discovered the reason behind his limping and his hidden bruises. _Azula didn't take rejection very lightly, after all._

"Azula was baiting the Water girl to try and capture the kid. She was gonna trap her inside the lab, and give her a few minutes to resign from the election... _or else, _she wouldn't set her free."

"Wait a minute..." Xai's hands fell from their defense in fright. "That's not fair! If the lab's supposed to get demolished, that means if Katara doesn't resign... she'll...?"

Suganya and Zuko exchanged frightened glances as Xai exclaimed exactly what they were thinking, while On Ji covered her mouth in disgust. Hide just muttered '_good job, air-head_,' and it sent Xai almost flying off the ground in rage.

Thank goodness On Ji had brought herself between the two guys, airbending them both out of range while Suganya shouted off how unnecessarily immature those two were being. Zuko grit his teeth and leapt a fire slash between Xai and Hide, hoping to prevent any new damage to get to On Ji while he settled the matter.

"We have to get to Aang before Azula does." On Ji said out of breath, clasping Zuko's arm at her side. "I can get there quickly in the forest with my air-skates."

"What about Katara?" Suganya claimed, unfolding her fans towards the distant laboratory.

"You're right," Zuko rasped. "Someone needs to stop that Combustion Man from firing while someone else gets her out of there."

"Xai and I are the strongest Listeners," Suganya said automatically, realizing that time was of the essence. "We can locate Aang in the forest and Speak to the other airbenders to come help. On Ji should go with you... she's the best air-bender out of all of us."

Hide raised a brow. "What about me?"

Xai glared at the firebender, murmuring a "_we don't need you, jerk_."

"_Guys that's ENOUGH!" _ On Ji raised her voice once and for all, turning over to her ex-boyfriend. "If you really want to help, go turn yourself in to Vice Principal Zhao, and explain what Azula and all her Fire Nation henchmen have been up to this past year. _Maybe that will make him see the light_!"

Zuko couldn't help but smirk in agreement, watching On Ji practically spit her words out to a speechless Hide.

"Good," Xai commented proudly from the side. "Now let's go get some friends."

* * *

"You make this so easy, peasant."

It was what Katara first heard as she boldly entered the dark, abandoned laboratory of Mr. Mechanist. There was hardly any light coming into the place, and the voice came almost like an echo by how everything had been emptied out -- except for the few scraps of carbon paper scattered on the ground.

The laboratory wasn't a maze to get into, really, but with the eerie silence and abandonment that Mr. Mechanist had left to it... Katara had to hold her breath to meet the voice that was waiting for her just nearby, in the main laboratory.

Her eyes -- despite the lack of light -- were still holding their copper brilliance as they met her WaterTribe rival. And Katara refused to blink out of conscience as they met in that vast room.

"I knew you'd follow directions and come alone... being as _noble_ as you are," Azula then said, her velvety voice sounding less echoed as she stood just a few feet away from Katara. The princess crossed her arms and her legs as she sat formally on Mr. Mechanist's old desk, as if it were a substitute for her Fire Nation throne. "But you decided to sneak in one of your small water pouches, just in case. What's the matter... don't you trust me?"

"Shut up," Katara said flatly, "You said you wanted to talk, so _let's talk._"

"Mind your manners, peasant," Azula responded, uncrossing her legs and bringing her sitting stance sharply at the girl. "I will get to the bottom of this, and I would like to make some things perfectly clear."

Katara lowered her stance defensively, as Azula gracefully propped off the desk and walked to her direction.

"First off... I want you to stay away from my brother," the girl said with an unusual bite. "You've poisoned his mind long enough, and it is my job to remedy him."

She felt her heart quicken as the princess spoke so viciously about Zuko, and Katara didnot let that stop her from glaring at the girl. She hoped that her glimmering blue eyes would maintain themselves fully throughout this talk.

"And second... I am not trying to destroy this school," her copper eyes shimmered as she spoke. "You are."

"How–?" Katara's eyebrows were rising ballistically. "How can you be so _deranged_ as to tell me _I'm the one trying to--"_

"Because you are challenging an authoritative tradition has passed through Praying Mantis High since the _moment_ Avatar Roku decided to establish it." Azula explained eloquently, without so much as raising her clear voice. "Fire Nation citizens have _always _maintained order at this school. It's our nature to be more organized and sophisticated than all of you... others. The Fire Nation is the world's youngest civilization, and therefore has the ability to bring _progress_ in the smallest of communities... including Praying Mantis High School. Having _you_ as the student body president will only make things worse."

"What're you talking about, Azula?" Katara felt her hands grip more tightly. "I've been trying to make a _difference_ here! Ever since you were elected president two years ago... all you've cared about is _yourself, _and your _Fire Nation background. _Did it ever occur to you that, maybe... there were other cultures in this school that needed to be represented?"

"I am doing my best to fulfill their needs."

"_Like HELL you are!_" the watertribe girl could feel her hairloops flailing slightly as she shook her head. "You've never approached anyone about their personal heritage! This school needs to show its diversity; Avatar Roku created Praying Mantis for that reason! God... _did you ever open your mom's History book?_"

"Do not bring my mother into this, peasant!_"_ Azula's voice suddenly turned rigid, "And don't patronize me about my own Nation's history. I've taken Avatar Roku's mission into full consideration... we still celebrate your culture's holidays and festivals throughout the year. I even _funded _the non-bending activities and competitions."

"That's not the point, Azula," Katara narrowed her eyes and softened her voice to keep herself steady. "Funding activities for different cultures is not the same as _appreciation_. Youtraumatized the airbenders. You don't think they matter at all... do you?"

"No, I don't," the princess responded cooly, and Katara's eyebrow twitched. "They don't belong at our school, what with their ridiculous customs and their _mental _abilities. I felt it necessary to demonstrate those reasons through the Welcoming Ceremony... but of course, _you _had to try and save the day_._ I was scaring them so they would understand this is not the place for them."

Katara could feel her throat turning dry, speaking exasperated and angry. "How could you do that? Azula... the Airbenders are the oldest civilization in the world, _and you don't respect them. _You almost made them believe the Avatar was _against them_."

"The Avatar _is _against them_,_" Azula said coolly."He is the one threat from keeping the traditional order that Praying Mantis has always had."

"_AANG IS NOT A THREAT!" _Katara finally spoke her mind with the right amount of volume."He's been so sweet and helpful since the day I met him, Azula. He wanted to bring the airbenders out of their shells and finally get some diversity back into this school!_"_

"I assumed you would say that," Azula brought a cunning little grin to the side of her mouth, as if upholding a little secret in her mind. Her keen ears had already grabbed the sound of curious rustling outside... and the princess smiled to herself even more... as her mind suddenly felt _pulled_ by an unseen force.

She knew this force was in the shape of a young boy.

_Those instincts never failed her._ This was all happening as she had planned it.

"Well, _everyone else _seems to believe me," Katara continued flatly and sarcastically, crossing her arms. "Aang's going to be great Avatar someday, and _I'm not going to let you hurt him_."

Katara was about to let herself out, but suddenly, the grin in Azula's face became wider - much more acknowledgeable. The girl involuntarily brought a hand near her unopened waterpouch, ready for the worst... but the moment Azula eyed Katara's readiness, the princess just... _laughed. _

She laughed, amused and amazed by such naivete of this water peasant who dared to believe she had all the qualities of a natural-born leader.

_Who STILL believed she was protecting a certain young boy from any danger._

His footsteps crept into the abandoned laboratory yards away, and Azula spotted him by her quick, unquestionable eye. Any moment now, Rion Jon and Chan would crawl out from the hedges near the lab, carrying blindfolds and a beating stick... and Azula softened her laugh at that glorious thought... revealing a noisy set of chains that had been hanging at the back of her waistband.

And the water girl blinked.

"_KATARA!!!_"

Aang didn't hear the volume of his voice, because his feet had noisily leapt wildly in the air at the first sight of those chains.

But strangely, he was held back immediately... by two pairs of strong arms that sprung out from the entrance of the lab.

"Aang?" Katara turned her head at the distant voice, hoping that it was just her imagination. The next thing she saw was Aang's face being smothered by a thick blindfold on his face... his legs kicking and his whole body quaking by the carry of two familiar henchmen. They were forcefully taking the boy back out into the sunlight.

She saw a large wooden stick come over his head.

"AANG! NO--"

But Katara felt the gash come to her head on the first step she took towards the entrance. It was a metallic blow... a chain. And Katara felt herself hitting the floor, a hand caressing the back of her neck as she turned back to look at Azula.

She was smiling... the thick silver chain dangling from her hands like a toy. Azula smiled, because she had aimed precisely at the root of the head. Perfect for disorientation.

_Thank you, Mai._

Katara didn't let herself fall dizzy. She grit her teeth towards Azula, opening her waterpouch to attempt a clumsy freezing technique with her free arm... but Azula was already a step ahead. She leapt over Katara's incoming hand and jabbed the girl's spine before she even stepped back in defense.

_Thank you, Ty Lee._

The chain was coiled around her arm now, and Azula watched as Katara stumbled backwards, falling first on her knees... and then to her full side on the ground.

She struggled, much to Azula's impression, trying to get up with the use of one hand. But the princess no longer categorized it as a threat. She just smiled as Katara laid there on the cold, dusty floor, her wavy disheveled hair now covering her face unceremoniously.

And as Katara laid helplessly on her side, breathing heavily, all she saw were the graceful footsteps of a princess approaching her... snatching the waterpouch away... and kicking some of those dusty papers to the girl's face.

She felt her mouth get covered up tightly by a hankerchief... her body dragged... her hands forcefully being chained to a pipeline.

_Aang... _was all she could say in her mind. _ Stay strong. Don't worry about me. I'll be okay..._ She felt tears well up in her blue eyes, dripping to the ground. Her world suddenly became a blur, where all she heard were her rapid heartbeats and the velvety voice of Azula.

"If you'll excuse me, I have some _business_ to discuss with the Avatar-in-Training. You have teen minutes to claim your withdrawal from the student election, _by ringing this little bell_."

A small golden object was carefully placed on Katara's twitching hand.

"If the bell doesn't sound, then I'm afraid Combustion Man will believe this laboratory is completely empty, and he will have no choice but to _do what he's been paid for_."

Katara felt her chest jump in painful breaths, her eyes swelling more with tears as she abstractly watched Azula's feet march out the door.

She let another small metallic cylinder bounce to the floor, and Katara heard the tiny roll of parchment contained inside it. A letter. Katara flinched in pain.

_Another letter. A... suicide note?_

Azula kept walking away from the chained-up girl, unaware of the fright and unspeakable hate that was brewing from those blue eyes.

"Let's hope you survive."

* * *

Aang's vision was hazy, but he automatically recognized the woman's thin copper eyes who stood a few feet away... as well as the tiny Fire-Bended flames that Chan had formed distantly behind her.

His head was aching, unsure of how much time had past since he'd approached Mr. Mechanist's lab. The forest around him seemed to tease him with darkness and filtering light... like being within a large nest of interwoven bark. The only moving image he saw was Azula, and her cunning powerful smile.

The boy turned to look behind him... and there was Rion Jon, holding the same tiny flames.

_Zuko mentioned these flames before, _Aang recalled in his aching mind. _They were supposed to mark the arena of an Agni Kai._

"Well, Avatar," Azula said it teasingly, as she looked down at the kneeling boy with sincere interest. "You are quite the prodigy after my own heart. Rumors say that you have already mastered well into all of the Bending elements... Would you care to demonstrate them for me?"

"_Where's Katara?"_ Aang grumbled in pain, feeling his head swell under the pressure of every second. When Azula refused to reply, the boy gruntingly got himself up and turned around in as much balance as he could muster.

His eyes were staring into a blur, and the denseness forest was almost playing onto him like an optical illusion. Aang had no idea how far into the woods Azula and the others had taken him, but even if he felt dizzy, and weak... even if his running legs would wander off lost in those trees... one thing was abundantly certain.

_Aang was not going to stay._

"She can take care of herself, for now," Azula finally said after a moment's pause, bringing the boy's angry look back to her. "But in the meantime, you should consider how much you value your _own _life. Your existence. The Avatar is supposed to be the most powerful Bender in the world.... and I would like to see you prove it."

The boy brought a palm to his forehead, trying to see square at the mad princess while she stood casually. "I'm not gonna Bend for you just to show you how good I am."

"Why? Are you afraid I'll be better than you?" Azula taunted. "That does not sound like the boldness this world would like to expect from its future leader."

"The Avatar _DOESN'T FIGHT!"_ Aang shouted angrily, with grit teeth as he noticed Chan smiling in the background. His airbending mind was still useless to Listening, but he could practically _sense_ the bitterness coming off of Azula at the refusal of a duel. "You know, I thought you were the coolest bender when I first came here... but now you're nothing but a crazy, mindless, two-headed rat-viper. You hurt people for no reason! _What did I ever do to you?_"

"You devastated the reputation of the Fire Nation," Azula thinned her eyes, intrigued but untouched. "The Avatar may be the divine medium of this world, but frankly, I don't think we need You to run our lives... or interfere with the progress the Fire Nation could place in this world."

Aang blinked. He felt the bruising from his head clear away, attempting to read the very thoughts coming from this enraged girl.

"W–what're you talking about?"

"EVERYTHING!"

Azula's hands instantly rose with matching blue flames, but not without a slight glistening from her copper eyes. It was barely noticeable, but Aang caught it like a wandering white moth.

"If you hope to save a water peasant, Mr. Avatar," Azula spoke in a velvety, enraged voice, "I suggest you build up the courage to face me, _first._"

At that, Azula launched her first fire whip of blue, and Aang - with the headache still clouding his mind - jumped out of the way in a dodge, attempting to take Zuko's training to good use.

* * *

Her eyes were closed, as minutes seemed to pass like hours in the confinements of an abandoned laboratory. Katara grasped the little bell in her hand, imagining the ridiculous words that were encased in that silver capsule on the floor. She couldn't feel her arms, dangling up by the tightness of the chains that held themselves up on the pipeline.

Footsteps from the outside consumed her mind, particularly from a metallic foot that always seemed to hit the ground by force. She then heard the minuscule drops of a liquid falling out from the distant pipelines, and her heart pounded rapidly. She gripped at the chains that held her, knotted up exceedingly well on the thick pipeline, growling from the fact that her arms were useless... and she still couldn't feel her legs.

"GET AWAY FROM THE LAB!"

Her eyes bolted open, still glistening with exhausted tears as she heard that familiar voice calling from the outside light. _Zuko? _The bell still grasped in her hand banged against the pipeline, as an alternative response to her useless voice... her mouth tied up from Azula's hankerchief.

Combustion Man's metallic foot stomped, clearly overwhelmed by this new company, just before the first of his blasts hit a corner of the building. The waterbender screamed under the cloth that held her voice, fighting against the chains to try and free herself, as hopelessly as it seemed.

It was certainly more than one pair of feet she heard running towards that laboratory, and Katara gripped up at the chains to bring her weight further up the pipeline... to catch a glimpse of the others who'd stood beside Toph in this deadly rescuing.

She saw the tiny form of On Ji, with her airskates incoming and defensively sending gushes of air towards the Combustion Man. And Toph's bullying demeanor came to try and control the demolition of the building with her Earthbending fists.

From the rumbling, Katara felt like the Earth itself was shaking, pieces of ceiling crackling like dust over her eyes as she tried to spot the commotion outside through a window.

"_Toph, can you see where she is?"_

On Ji's voice was distinctly heard, and Katara angrilly pushed herself further up the pipeline, holding her numb legs as firmly as she could to spot Combustion Man and whoever was stopping him from sending anymore blasts.

"_Yeah... she's in the central office... but she's tied up! I can't Bend her out of there!"_ Toph's sturdy legs crouched in concentration, to keep the building's second floor from collapsing.

Suddenly, a blast entered through an upstairs window, and Katara flinched at the sight of smoke that was slowly spreading through the ceiling. It was dark gray, and thick.

"_On Ji, hold him off with those airblasts. Toph, keep a close grip to those blasts... HANG ONTO THE BUILDING--"_

"_Don't tell me how to do my job, Captain!_" the little Earthbender's flustered voice shouted to Zuko, beyond the wall._ "Now go save her before she gets burnt to a crisp._"

A rustling of footsteps got closer and closer, and the girl positioned herself further up the pipe to locate where Zuko must've been coming from.

"_KATARA!?"_

She muffled a screaming response through the handkerchief, banging on the pipeline with her chain to try and outdo the noise of the incoming fire. She could already feel her arms bruising from the actions, but Katara didn't care. All she cared about was the smoke that was already making her vision foggy.

The waterbender could sense Zuko's determined steps within that labyrinth of a building, and she moved her head around to see beyond the smoke that was crackling the pipes. She knew that as much as Toph could try and hold the building together, it wouldn't stop the fire from burning whatever was inside. Katara felt her throat run dry through the cloth, and the smoke impelled her to cough.

All she could think about was Aang, then... wondering if the boy had managed to free himself from Azula's deadly game before it was too late. She prayed that his Avatar State had not gone out of control.

_Aang was clever,_ she reluctantly welled up in her eyes; whether they came from the smoke or outside noise of the chaos, Katara couldn't tell. _Aang would survive. He had to._

* * *

It all came like a badly-rehearsed carnival from hell.

The boy stumbled towards the rooted ground in a heap mess, the skin on his arms scraped red by Azula's powerful flame. The bruising had sunk deep into young muscles, it almost made the color of his iconic tattoos look purple.

His airbending clothes were torn and shred by the burns, but the girl didn't seem to slow down in her fight whatsoever. She even chuckled a little, approaching him again with an ease for amusement.

"You must be joking," Azula sneered, talking in dramatic flair. "_THIS_ is supposed to be the most powerful bender in the world?"

As he got up and staggered back into, Aang could see the astounded look in Rion Jon by the corner of his eye. Even with his dark Fire Nation henchmen clothes, Aang could easily read the guy's mind.

_The newfound fury in Azula was terrifying him._

"Pathetic." Azula grit her teeth as she acrobatically jumped and wheeled a high flame from one of her feet towards the boy.

In all the strength he could muster, Aang stood his ground, feeling the solid Earth grab onto his ankles like glue. He locked his arms and silently summoned for a wall of Earth to rise in front of him like a concave arc. Aang held his breath as he felt the heat of Azula's flame pass over the arc, and he immediately broke the arc into pieces... Bending them towards the girl.

_Thank you, Toph._

Azula leapt away in surprise, her brows furrowing as her feet kicked the large bits of rumble off-course. As Aang revealed himself to her again, his face looked more firm than ever. His eyes were thinning with anger, as if he were already calculating her next move. She summoned a whip-like flame from her hand, elongating it with a swish of her wrist towards the sky right before she aimed it to Aang.

But Aang grit his teeth and placed an arm strategically out to receive the blue Fire-whip in undulating ease. Right when his hand grabbed it, Aang jerked the wrist back towards Azula... focusing all of his energy towards the opponent... and the blue Fire-whip soon tranformed into an ivory brilliance.

_The fire had become Aang's fire._ Holding onto the powerful flame, Aang swished it strategically back towards Azula in powerful energy. It brought the girl out of balance, stumbling back in her own defense as the Fire whip now held itself under Aang's control. She was about to spark another Fire-whip for good measure, but the boy refused to wait.

Aang's eyes were glimmering in silver, and as Rion Jon and Chan stared in deep awe... they could barely recognize that frightened, lost little boy they had brought into the woods. His nostrils were practically flaring as the ivory Fire-whip came at Azula a second time... _from three different directions._

Azula jumped, impressed by the three fire-whips this boy had mastered with one throw. She missed them easily, but was almost thrown out of focus by the amazing amount of light the ivory whip had created against the dark forest.

What she wasn't expecting was a second Ivory Fire-whip to form itself into Aang's other hand, and Azula lifted her eyes... shocked.

_The boy's natural learning ability was flawless._

Aang could feel his heart racing through his chest as he ran towards Azula, yelling his energy at the girl who was keeping him trapped inside the forest. The girl who had hurt his friends with so much intention, and who had _humiliated _the Airbenders almost out of their pride in this same forest not so long ago.

Azula calmly held a ready fist over her frame, watching as Aang's eyes turned lifeless as he lifted both ivory Fire-whips into the air. Chan's eyes rose in fright from behind, mentally debating whether his girlfriend could fend for herself. Rion Jon had frozen in fear.

_This was the moment to strike._

"Aang... NO!"

The tranquil, angelic voice of Brei An bellowed into the forest without warning, bringing a powerful force of wind towards Azula that pushed her out of the way just as Aang's whips came to the ground, lifting dozens of rumble into the air. Loung had appeared from behind Aang, and he held the young boy's ferocity back by the arms... while Suganya dealt with the incoming fireballs from Chan with all the airbending defense she had.

Rion Jon weakly blocked the moves that Xai was throwing to him, so much that he looked more like a ragged doll than a Fire Nation henchman.

And from the trees above... Jet and Mai rained down on Azula's offensive parade. The princess immediate fell back into her teeth-grit rage at seeing the pale-faced traitor, lancing short fire darts at her. But Jet slid gracefully on the ground, scooping Azula up with his hooked swords and sending the girl flying towards a tree. Even before she could grab hold of the tree's branches in her grace... Mai sent a half-dozen daggers through the air, pinning Azula to the tree like a fly on the wall.

Aang had lost most of his conscience, not even feeling the tight grip that Loung had on his wrists. Brei An was running over to help, but Aang couldn't acknowledge her right then. The boy breathed heavily, his eyes watering in tears when realizing he'd been _so close _to losing control of his power.

_Buddy, you okay?_

He heard Loung's voice Speaking to his deep, overwhelmed mind. But Aang couldn't reply, as he was too distracted by the multiple commotions happening within the open realm of these woods.

And as the tears welled up heavier in his eyes, all he could think about was Katara.

_On Ji's outside the lab right now with the Combustion guy. _Loung's words filtered into Aang's mind, and the boy closed his eyes to block the currents fireballs and commotion. _She's giving it all she's got._

With a small intake of breath and the first few tears falling from his cheeks, Aang knew what he had to do. His hands suddenly lost their tight fists, and Loung let go of his friend... startled by the sudden coldness of his skin... and the shocking-yet-familiar glow of his tattoos. The air around them was spontaneously picking a great circular mount of wind.

"Aang!?" Loung yelled, scared by how the boy was levitating into the air, and Brei An turned from a distance in utter shock as well.

_Aang, please... _Brei An attempted with all her Speaking might_... don't lose control of yourself!_

"I'll be fine," Aang said out loud, in a voice that was deeply low and clearly out of this world.

Loung had practically jumped out of his skin, shielding the strong wind against his face.

"Principal Roku's coming to help..." the boy said calmly in levitation, "...make sure nobody gets hurt."

Brei An and Loung stared distantly at each other, questionably, but then looked back at their Avatar-in-Training in glowing brilliance. It was in reassurance to him and to themselves that they nodded... just before the boy took off in his Avatar State sphere of wind up towards the trees.

Back towards his original destination.

* * *

"_Katara?"_

She barely heard his raspy voice as he immediately found her within the foggy thick smoke, her throat swelling and coughing up a storm. Her mind was going numb, and Zuko quickly untied the handkerchief from her mouth, pressing her fully against his clothing to relieve her from breathing poisoned air.

The moment lasted only a few seconds, but Katara felt her hands clasping the bell open to taking Zuko's frame fully for a crooked hug. Taking a full breath to look up at him, more tears fell from her eyes as she realized her arms were completely bruised by the chains.

"This was all a trap," the girl sobbed angrily while gripping the chain, her words pouring out like overflowing water. "_God, I was so stupid, _I shouldn't have lied to Aang! She _knew _he would follow me here no matter what I'd say to him -- he was trying to protect me. Azula took him into the forest_. I... I can't feel my legs._"

"Shhh... steady..." Zuko frowned as he clasped part of the chain, the wheels in his mind turning rapidly as a small powerful flame appeared in one of his hand. He brought it near Katara's arm, being extremely careful as the hot metal worked its way into melting mode. She started to cough again, prompting Zuko to work his Bending faster as the pieces of ceiling began to fall in larger clumps.

Finally, after what seemed like long minutes, the hot chain cracked and broke apart... and Katara moved her raw and bruised arms to Zuko for a real hug. The boy lifted her, feeling the temporarily numb weight in Katara's legs as he carried her on his back. He could already feel the smoke getting thicker around him... darker... and the building itself was practically shaking by the weakening grip of Toph.

A sudden blast came from outside, and Zuko and Katara flinched towards a window, clearly hearing On Ji's screaming voice beneath.

Katara coughed harshly while holding to Zuko's collarbone, and the boy sped off down the blackened corridor as fast as he could. As light as she was, the smoke wasn't doing anything to help his vision, and Zuko attempted to blast one of the doors off with his FireBending to give them a clearer opening. He made careful steps down the corridor, keeping himself aligned by touching the wall and classroom desks along the path.

Measuring the thickness of the wall, Zuko gave up on returning the way he came, and Katara gripped to him tightly just before he decided to make a double-fisted blast through the crested windows.

It was then that a large pile of ceiling broke and fell, and Zuko jumped to keep himself and Katara away from it. The whole building was fidgeting even more, so delicate it could've all been made of glass... and now the pipelines were breaking loose with gas...

One wrong move of the fire would set the whole place in outbursting flames.

"Zuko, he needs your help." Katara pleaded angrily, trying to shuffle herself off of Zuko's back. "Aang's more important--"

"_Don't start talking crazy_," he rasped firmly, his arms still buckling her legs to carry her as he continued to walk heavily. "Just hang on!"

A huge blast seemed to bring down the center of the ceiling, and Zuko jumped immediately out of the way but bringing Katara helplessly to the ground again. Her legs were moving, but just barely, and her coughing was becoming harsher... Katara clutching her stomach in pain. Regaining himself, Zuko took off his overcoat and placed it over her face to breathe, looking around for another way out.

As he looked up at the ceiling, he realized the reason behind that unusual blast.

The Avatar-in-Training had massively hovered itself into the building, with a grand hurricane of wind surrounding his little form... sucking the smoke from Zuko and Katara's surroundings.

Aang's eyes were glowing inhumanely, and only Zuko could raise his brows by the mere brilliance and danger it seemed to present.

In moments, he wondered what had happened to Azula... if Aang had managed to escape her clutches, or if he'd finally shown the princess a piece of his – _everyone's – _mind. And he wondered if the boy himself was still present underneath that Avatar State... beneath all of that great energy and wind that was encircling them... _protecting the three of them_ _from the fragile building._

With his glowing eyes, Aang gazed sadly at Katara, and the struggling Zuko who was trying to keep her conscious. With the crumbling sounds of the building coming from all directions... the two knew there wasn't much time to act.

Slowly, the boy levitated down towards the pair, strengthening the sphere into a shield against the falling rubble. His glowing face looked at Zuko and Katara firmly, and they both returned their eyes to him.

"Hold your breath," Aang felt the Avatar's voice come out from him again, placing a hand towards the ground, "and hang onto each other."

They did as they were told, intaking breath and hearing larger mounts of rubble fall onto the boy's powerful shield.

And after a count of three... Aang pressed his hand hard to the Earth, and sent Zuko and Katara rapidly into the cement underground like quicksand... oblivious to the loud, thunderous crumbles that were surrounding him.

* * *

Her palms had been sweating from the immense force against the Earth, and yet Toph couldn't get a grip of everything that had occurred inside that crumbling laboratory. Occasionally, she had to send a powerful vibe of Earth towards Combustion Man, to make his lose his balance while On Ji threw her blowing wind against him.

The man was ruthless. He reminded her of somebody else.

But it wasn't until the very corners of the laboratory began to cave in that Toph knew they were in trouble. Her little heart was racing, trying to get a _sight_ of where Zuko and Katara were on the inside... calculating how much more time she could give them.

And then... strangely... she felt _another _presence inside the building. This wasn't a human presence, but rather a spiritual presence; something that was much lighter than usual–

_Twinkle Toes???_

Toph's eyes bolted up with a remarkable discovery, but immediately turning frightened, wondering _what the hell _this kid was trying to do in a place that was about to go down.

But when the two masses of Zuko and Katara suddenly 'disappeared' from underneath the building... it all started to make sense.

"On Ji, they're over here!" Toph exclaimed while the other girl sent a strong gush of air to the bulky man, knocking his head slightly off balance. The little Earthbender ran briskly over to her spot and placed an ear to the ground promptly.

Feeling the vibrations and cracking her knuckles, Toph crunched her arms in a lifting position and parted the small spot of Earth. Like two giant fish out of water... Katara and Zuko emerged from the cracked ground, panting out of breath and covered in dark brown dirt.

On Ji had attempted to meet up with the newly-retrieved friends... but Combustion Man was frustratingly, angrily on her tail. Toph caught the man's metallic, determined foot, but before she could even regain herself from the recent Bending of the ground... she heard another voice.

"_AAAAAAHHHH!_"

It was coming from behind the bushes.

"_SNEAK ATTAAAAACK!_"

And when On Ji turned around to nervously face Combustion Man once again, she saw instead the great warrior-channeling face of Sokka run towards the demolishioner's spine.. poking him fiercely at least a dozen times. On Ji had nothing but the privilege of watching the great bulky man fall onto his own face afterwards.

Sokka placed a firm frown, with hands on his hips as he stepped over the Combustion Man victory to get to the others. "So can somebody tell me why that big guy was attacking On Ji? What else did I miss here?-- Um... Zuko... _WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN THE GROUND WITH MY SISTER?"_

Zuko was faithfully helping Katara's now weak body out of the hole, as the others seemed oblivious to Sokka's continuous ranting. The young waterbender was falling slowly into an unconscious state as On Ji went to take the hair out of her face.

It wasn't until the thunderous, gargantuan sound of the crumbling brought down the full building into ruins that everyone's eyes turned back to laboratory. Their eyes bolted up, but only Toph spoke the next moment... _sensing the body of a human boy still in there._

"TWINKLE TOES!"

* * *

**A/N - Honestly, I have no idea why it took me this long. Fight scenes are tricky in general, but I suppose it was the depth of action I had to write... it was exhausting! Hmm, hopefully it turned out okay! I personally love how I was able to show each airbender's strengths! If you didn't catch it: Suganya's the best Listener, Brei An's the best Speaker, On Ji's the best defense, Xai's the best offense, Loung's kinda the Average Joe, and Aang's... well, the AVATAR! Get ready for some OmaShu play in the next one. --MM**


	31. the Passage of Agni

She woke up as if entangled in a web of floating thoughts... dreams... unsure of how much time had elapsed since that moment she'd sunk into crumbling cement. All her blue eyes could note was a ceiling, then – and _thank goodness_, it was intact. No smoke. No tremors from the ground that came from deadly, threatening fire blasts.

_And she remembered Zuko._

Her head jerked, searching for her friend's face and realizing she'd been sleeping on a bed – a flat, hospital cot that could only be from Nurse Yugoda's clinic. A brief sense of relief came to her mind; she knew she was safe. _But... what about the others? _She wriggled her legs a little under the bedsheet and felt the bruises still present all over... as bandaged-up as she must've looked now.

Strangely... Katara also felt a set of scrawny arms holding onto her... like a belt around her waist.

_Aang?_

Her heart rate quickened, craning her neck over in slight pain to see the person's face.

She smiled as she recognized those blue tattoos, however filthy and scarred his arms appeared. Apparently, the boy had fallen asleep in the midst of hugging her tightly, and Katara gazed at his closed eyes tenderly. In spite of how bandaged he was, lying crookedly next to her at the waist... the young airbender had never looked so peaceful.

Without fearing that the pain would agonize her, Katara raised an arm to brush some fingers behind Aang's ear. He stirred tenderly in his sleep, and the girl's eyes glimmered happily... silently thanking this amazing boy who'd stopped at nothing to protect the girl he loved.

_Was it love?_

She couldn't help but wonder, but nevertheless she didn't care. It felt so special, and undeserving at the same time. All Katara could do was smile.

It must've been a few, calm breaths before the rest of the hospital wing finally registered through her eyes. Song was making the rounds carefully tending to another student, and she saw Kuzon, massaging one of On Ji's ankles as they shared a cot in the corner. Katara then cautiously turned her head, noticing a lovely bouquet of waterlilies sitting on her night-stand, with a small card that could only be in Sokka's handwriting. As she looked closer, the signatures of Haru, Suki, Yue and a few others from the _Omashu _play appeared at the bottom.

She was just about to reach for a waterlily when a familiar face came through the door... who incidentally almost made Song spill her entire ointment bowl on the patient's knee as she turned.

Zuko was bandaged at the waist underneath his slightly-open robe, and if it hadn't been for a cast on one of his arms, Katara knew the boy would've done what he could to cover his bare chest. The prince could hardly contain that blushing foolishness about him, caving in at the frame as he exchanged a glance with his friend. She raised a brow.

"Is that... a chest hair?"

"Shut up," Zuko rolled his eyes, leaning his body against the nearest wall.

Katara laughed, softly so to not wake Aang up. "I'm glad to see you're okay."

"Yeah. You too," the prince turned his gaze down to the sleeping boy, and gave a slight chuckling sound. "Nurse Yugoda kept asking him to go rest on his own bed, but the kid wouldn't budge."

The girl smiled admirably back to her little hero, beginning to caress the blue tattoo on his head. "He saved us, didn't he?"

Zuko nodded, rubbing his bandaged stomach with his free arm. "My Uncle came to visit earlier... he said that Principal Roku is back. I think he's interrogating my sister as we speak."

"Hah, suddenly everything sounds so simple," she replied. "This means I still have to say my speech tomorrow, doesn't it," Katara pursed her lips in teasing disgust.

"Quit complaining," Zuko rasped mockingly, "at least you won't have to make cheesy, inspirational speeches to large masses of people for the rest of your life."

They laughed softly each to their own as Aang snuggled peacefully where he was. The shy little medical intern kept spotting their interaction every now and then, and it was Katara's instincts that led her to the next bold move.

Zuko had noted Song as she'd crossed the room to another patient, watching the girl's cheeks turn pink in an instant. As he awkwardly turned to Katara, she nudged him at a certain direction with her blue eyes.

"Go on," she said in a whisper, "go ask her!"

His good brow rose, taking another look at Song with a slight color in his cheeks. But after a moment's pause, Zuko sighed, making an inevitable grin that proved he was willing to try. Carefully, Katara reached over to her nightstand and grabbed a waterlily from her bouquet, handing it out to Zuko.

"Give this to her, first," she advised to her friend's nervous face as he received the flower, "Girls always like that."

Katara smiled, giving Zuko a reassuring look as the young prince stared deeply at the flower in his hand. He lingered for a bit, but then took a small breath and moved forward... but not without slightly stumbling in his walk. He must've looked so ridiculous, with his hair messed up and his robe slightly untied by the bandages, but Katara fought not to laugh - even as she watched the boy nervously scratch his head the moment he met Song.

The young waterbender grinned, seeing the two people awkwardly exchange facial expressions and inaudible words from the other side of that hospital room. By the look of Song's radiant smile as she received the flower, Katara knew this would end well... and she returned her focus to Aang to give those two a sense of privacy.

His grip on her waist hadn't changed, and the girl returned to caressing his head. She tried not to think about _OmaShu_, or the speech she would have to give right after the play was over. Her thoughts only lingered on this boy, whom she felt so lucky to have as a date for the Year-End dance.

* * *

"You got it!"

Smellerbee caught the small squeak in her voice and almost choked, but Mai didn't seem to notice. She was too enveloped in the multiple Salsa turns that Pipsqueak was giving her, trying to mimic the gracefulness of Bee and Longshot, while Jet watched both pairs in utter delight beneath the Oak Tree.

"What'd I tell you, Sharpy?" Jet teased, playing with a piece of straw in his mouth. "You're a natural with these turns."

"Whatever," Mai muttered, with only Pipsqueak close enough to note the grin on her face.

"I think we're ready for the final _OmaShu _piece," the tree-dweller then said, bringing himself out of the Oak's shade and taking his place in the routine. "Let's take it from the last Salsa dip and transition to the Hip-Hop lock."

Mai nodded, taking a small breath with Pipsqueak and Smellerbee as they formed a line behind Jet and Longshot. She could feel her insides tightening as she followed the movements, not having enough room in her mind to wonder when exactly she'd decided be a part of this strange group of dance-crazed kids. In a way, they didn't seem to be so strange to her anymore.

"MAI!"

A high-pitched voice came running out from the school, and Ty Lee's worried face bombarded through the dance lines to get the pale girl's attention.

"The _hell–?" _Pipsqueak couldn't even finish his stunned remark as Ty Lee started crying, hugging Mai so tightly.

"I'm sorry. _I'm so so sorry! _I _swear I didn't know what she was doing..._" Ty Lee said between her sobs, all dramatic and childish, and the dark girl could only raise a questioning brow at her friend... and at Jet.

"Ty L--" the boy said carefully.

"_She burned them._" The once perky cheerleader lost all color in her face, her eyes splotched from the tears rolling against Mai's clothing. "_She tore them off the walls, and... and I tried to Speak to her but she didn't stop! She just piled them up in the courtyard..."_

Mai's eyes widened, feeling her lips fall dry as she exchanged a shocked, almost lifeless look to Jet. Smellerbee and Longshot also stared in disbelief, knowing exactly what the girl must've been referring to. The pale girl stepped back slightly, with Ty Lee losing her clutch as she looked up at Mai's bewildered face.

_No..._ the girl thought, feeling her copper eyes glisten into a silver lining_. She didn't..._

"Mai?"

Jet called to her carefully, like he was mentally losing her as she stepped away. And immediately, the girl with jet black hair broke into fierce run towards the Praying Mantis courtyard. Her world was falling more into a blurry dark chasm with each step, feeling her heartbeats almost pound like thunder.

"_Mai!_"

The tree-dweller soon followed after her without question, along with a sniffling Ty Lee and the rest of the Oak Tree clan right behind him.

* * *

"Katara, um, could you help me a little?"

The day of the _OmaShu _performance had sprung to him as if waking up from a very intense, mesmerizing dream... and Aang was trembling so much onstage, he could barely place the cream-colored foundation over his face evenly. Kuzon had gone off immediately to help Haru after finishing his own make-up and the young airbender felt the bruises from yesterday's violent incidents suddenly return to him stressfully.

He spotted the lovely waterbender helping On Ji fit into her extravagant maiden costume nervously - a dress that now carried the autumn colors of the air nomads, instead of the traditional green of _OmaShu_'s story. Katara had even taken the liberty of painting an intricate blue arrow beneath On Ji's forehead earlier, and Aang had never seen On Ji look so radiant and proud about her culture.

When Katara heard her name, the boy's heart gave a slight flutter as usual. She smiled and immediately finished sewing On Ji's tightly before going over to help Aang with his make-up.

Apparently Sokka had beaten her into helping the boy with his costume, but this Shu character looked like he had just stepped out of a airbender's ragged tent... his long orange shawl wrapped so sloppily around his shoulders.

"Here, let me do this first," Katara complied, silently asking Aang to hold his arms out so she could unwrap the shawl from his frame and redo it.

The loss of fabric almost gave the boy goosebumps, and Katara couldn't help but feel her stomach jump at the first sight of Aang's developing torso. She fought a blush on her cheeks, but it was too late. Even Toph - who had been getting costume-fitted by Suki at the very end of the stage - couldn't help but snort loudly by what she sensed. It felt a bit awkward... slowly holding out the shawl and intricately wrapping it tightly around Aang's frame... but as Katara kept her gaze towards the fearless young boy, the whole awkwardness seemed to disappear.

It even made her smile a bit, as Aang watched her with utter fascination.

"Thanks!" He said when he could finally bring his arms down and relax... his heart dangling wildly on a string as he tugged on his own shawl. "That actually feels much better."

"Oh, you're welcome," Katara responded sweetly, unable to take the smile from her face as she got the make-up kit. "Um... by the way, I'm not sure if I ever thanked you for what you did--"

"Katara... it's okay," the boy lingered on the ground, sitting meditatively while the girl placed a delicate cloth into the creme powder, "I mean it was my fault; I shouldn't have followed you into the lab. If I'd just listened, you and Zuko probably wouldn't have gotten in danger."

"No Aang, if it's anyone's fault... it's mine," Katara stared shamefully at the make-up for second, right before placing the first bit onto Aang's soft cheek. "I was the one who thought it was safe to deal with Azula alone... and Zuko told me himself... _she was ready to kill you. _I'm glad Principal Roku's back to deal with her; hopefully she'll get kicked out for good."

Those words brought somewhat of a relief back to Aang's system, and the soft touch of Katara's hand was practically bringing him into a deep sense of slumber as he sat down... but the boy's mind was troubled by something else. It was an image of that deadly, yet very graceful woman who had looked so passionate fighting with her own fire-blasts out in the open Earthbending Football field. The fact that Aang had never been able to understand Azula's fury was deepening him into a feeling of failure... like his duty as the Avatar was suffering because of it.

_Wasn't it the Avatar's responsibility to know all sides of a certain story before any rash decisions were made?_

Katara kept placing the make-up on his face, calmly and delicately, when the boy took up the courage to say what he felt... as ridiculous as it sounded.

"Do you think she deserves to be hated?"

The waterbender froze, stunned by such a question. "Deserves? Aang... _think about what she did to you_... and to On Ji, and to all the non-benders! She would've gladly let me die in that laboratory with Zuko if it meant that she could win this election without another fight. I could_ drown her easily _for everything she'd tried to do this year..."

That image was grotesque, but Aang didn't argue with Katara's feelings, as she had every right to be upset. But still, Aang's mind lingered... _going back to the very idea of Roku himself dealing with the betrayal of the Fire Lord - his best friend at the time - and leaving him to feel pain and humiliation for the rest of his life without ever picking him up from that shame. _For the twelve-year-old boy... the image of seeing a radiant, determined young Princess fall into utter loneliness did not seem to be right thing to do.

But still, he remembered that fight in the woods. He remembered her dangerous fury to destroy the one thing that kept her from fulfilling her dream. And Aang could not help but feel that he'd sensed an unlikely fear within the princess's chiseling copper eyes.

_The fear that she would always pass through this alone._

* * *

People were frantically gathering the last few pieces of stage set and props into the grand entrance of the Praying Mantis theater, as far as she could tell... watching with burrowing brows from the school's courtyard like a quiet, deadly rat viper. Haru was hauling orders as calmly as he could from one place to another, On Ji practically carrying her weight in costumes and makeup into the stage door.

It seemed plausible that nobody would notice a little bonfire happening from the back walls, the fumes of dry paint and canvas creating a surprisingly refreshing scent for the princess who stood at the corner. In her mind, this was a token of her own appreciation for them... not just for Mai, but for the ones who considered a fire before a grand theater performance a bad omen.

She massaged her aching right arm, remembering that horrible blow Jet had thrown with a hooked sword at some point in the woods, calling her a monster for trying to hurt a kid. And now Mai would arrive to this place at any moment, watching a small bonfire sprucing to life out of her own work. And the look on her face would be brilliant.

Azula turned around to hear the fast-paced feet in the distance, hearing the little husky voice of that scrawny girl scream something obscene at the sight of overhead smoke. It didn't take long for Mai's tear-stricken face to appear, her body slowing down into a yield as if the burning canvases and papers were slowing her own heartbeats. Her breaths came in spasms, and Azula watched the pale woman nearly cower in pain just before Jet caught up, holding her in place.

It disturbed Azula, strangely... watching Mai pant in small breaths as Jet embraced her, as if keeping her insides from exploding everywhere through her skin.

Sniffling, Ty Lee showed up within the Oak Tree crowd, bringing herself closer to Mai and touching her shoulder while she stared at Azula... extreme disappointment in her silver eyes.

And the princess felt herself swallow, an odd tremble going down her throat when these strange kids all began to glare at her direction, past the fire and past the overbearing smoke.

When Mai finally brought her head up to meet her former friend, her copper eyes looked as watery as glass, but just as fearless as her own. Azula huffed, bringing her chest up in as much pride as she could muster, understanding that she couldn't show any remorse with what she'd done.

Mai continued to breathe, slower... hearing the steady voice of Jet at her side telling her to calm down while she kept looking at the flame. It was slowly dying out.

Azula eyed it, too. "Would you care to feed the fire a little more?"

"_BITCH!" _Smellerbee immediately went at the princess, picking up a small rock from the ground and taking aim just before Longshot stopped her arm. Mai ended up holding her back, too. She seemed absolutely calm.

Jet looked apprehensive, letting Mai take her own steps with so much pain still coursing through her, and knowing full well she could swiftly reveal a dagger from under her sleeves. But instead, the pale girl crossed her arms in front of the fire, staring at Azula with so much hatred and regret filtering through her breaths.

"Aren't you going to fight me?" Azula asked then, her curious voice fuming.

When Mai spoke in her husk, it came with an unfamiliar sense of peace that made Ty Lee blink.

"Even if you burned my entire portfolio... I would never give you that satisfaction, Highness," she brought a small step back towards the Oak Tree clan as if protecting them with her very being. "Why don't you go find someone else to hurt, and see if they'll defend your stupid campaign?"

Azula felt her mouth trembling ferociously into a close, but Mai kept her calm and continued.

"But if you go after any of these people, I _will _fight you, Azula..." the girl didn't blink once as she spoke, holding herself close to the Oak Tree clan behind her, "...and I don't think anyone will care about what happens to you."

Ty Lee's eyes were glimmering, in such awe and fear by the sound of Mai's determined nature in front of the princess she'd once been so loyal to. She stared at Azula's mesmerized face, as if she'd just watched her own death be prophesied right before her eyes.

And the Oak Tree clan turned around and walked away from the flaking bonfire, with the defeated Fire Nation princess looking just as lonely as the cold cinders that marked the ground.

* * *

People had gathered into the grand auditorium of the Praying Mantis theater with great anticipation, and Katara could not help but feel giddy at the sight of her own teachers, her father, and even some of her Water Tennis teammates take seats and support her campaign. Aang was too busy going over his lines with On Ji somewhere backstage to look nervous at all... but one look at her distraught brother, and Katara wondered if Sokka would stay conscious to say his favorite line: "CHARGE!" Suki was trying the best she could to calm him down, while Toph flexed her arms roughly to prepare herself for some killer Earthbending maneuvurs with the Football Team. It made Yue and the delicate-looking waterbenders as well as the dance-passionate Oak Tree clan almost afraid to step on their toes backstage.

Katara made a small attempt to wave 'hello' at Zuko, who had just entered the vicinity with Song dressed as lovely as ever by his side. It felt a little sad, not being able to have Zuko in the production after all, but she felt happy to see the young man in such good company. Haru was standing near the wings, watching the crowd sit themselves down as well, feeling much more confident about this new take on _The Tale of OmaShu. _

The sudden presence of Principal Avatar Roku at the entrance almost made Haru's heart jump clearly out of his chest, and Katara gasped in utter delight... until the appearance of a silent, brooding Azula followed the Principal into the auditorium, along with Ms. Ursa, Mr. Iroh, and a very pissed-off vice principal Zhao. Things seemed to be going in her favor, but Katara could not help but see the sickened look on Azula's face as the girl scanned over the _OmaShu _set.

Haru let a small intake of breath, holding himself proudly before he stepped onstage before an applauding crowd to welcome everyone to his long-awaited production. Katara smiled happily for him, hearing the usually-sensitive boy sound so expressive before a large group of people. She just hoped she could sound that eloquent and inspirational at the very end of the show...

And so the show began, with the drawing of both curtains promptly by Teo's brilliant mechanical means, and the warriors of both the East and West drew themselves out in high honor. Sokka looked like he was going to fall sick to his stomach, but Suki elbowed him on the ribs to get him to promptly open a scroll and recite the beginning of the play:

"_The story of OmaShu embarks us into an ancient past, where the division of East and West was to violently forever last. This tale is a grand witness to the sheer odds of destiny, the beauty of forgiveness, and how in the end... only a strong heart can outdo an unbreakable hatred. We take you first to village of the East, in all of its splendid diversity of cultures..."_

As the play continued forward, Katara stood there in amazement, watching as every bit of the _OmaShu _story got somewhat altered to fit with the current happenings at Praying Mantis High and in their own World's history. She noticed the sheer hatred that the Fire Nation had plagued among the smaller, more diverse nations in the East, considering their own Western culture the most deserving in survival.

She saw Aang and On Ji go through their lines as two very brave airbenders, in love with each other and determined to make the world more proud with diversity. Aang became the peaceful air-nomad of the East, so talented in his bending as well as in his interpretive dancing to desire a world entirely in understanding with itself... while On Ji became the hidden, almost ashamed airbender of the West, wanting nothing but to bring back the pride of her birth culture before the ruthless Fire Nation she had been born into. These two characters find hope through their very words and through the ongoing encouragement of their friends from the Water tribes and the grand Earth Kingdom... and Katara almost fell teary-eyed by the radiant water-bending performance of her own classmate, Yue... showing that no matter what turmoil she had survived in the past... it had only made her stronger.

Katara saw the amazement in the audience's eyes, observing the intensity of the Oak Tree's non-bending dance routine, showing how lacking a spiritual power didn't necessarily mean they were not destined for great things. Ty Lee had been sitting in the audience with Hide, clapping hysterically at the graceful movements of Mai's salsa-dancing with Jet in one solo number. The spotlight had been on them, and she noticed Aang on the other side of the stage... staring right to Katara's own eyes at the very end of that routine, like he was giving her a promise.

But the most beautiful scene of the entire show had to be near the end of the first act, when On Ji and Aang met up within the caves of the Earth Kingdom to bid each other a farewell before battle. The delicateness of On Ji's voice was present in that vulnerable scene, and Katara herself knew how difficult it was to grasp... and the little airbender nailed it completely. Katara even felt a tinge of jealousy as Aang brought his hand to lift On Ji's chin with honest reassurance, that very soon he would return, and that Shu and Oma would always be together.

Foolishly, Katara shut her eyes the moment Aang and On Ji embraced in a kiss, feeling her cheeks flush with color as the scene formed into a monstrous battle between the East and West. As the girl opened her eyes, though, she saw that the figure of Azula had strangely disappeared from the audience... and that not soon after, Zuko's dark-looming presence had whispered something to Song at the ear, only to get up from his seat and head silently out of the Praying Mantis theater into the night sky.

The girl furrowed her brows apprehensively, took a small second to think as she watched Aang get himself ready for the second act on the other side of the stage... before heading towards the stage door to confront Zuko.

* * *

"Will you make sure that Song gets home safely?" Zuko requested, the moment he felt her approaching.

He didn't need to turn his face to acknowledge Katara's presence just yards away, since he'd long accepted that her natural concern would follow him anywhere. It wasn't that he would've minded this company... but Zuko thinned his eyes, searching for words... knowing this was something he had to do alone.

It was a family affair.

"What happened?" she attempted, her blue eyes reluctant to blink as she walked closer.

"She lost. She already knows it." Zuko held his breath, still looking into the darkness where his sister's footsteps led. "I need to go find her."

"But what about the speech?" Katara mentally slapped herself from sounding so selfish, but her focus remained on him. She felt scared – so terrified, she could feel herself trembling from the cold. "I mean... the play's almost over, and..."

"Katara, you can do it." It was then when Zuko turned to meet her concerned eyes, as hidden as they seemed to be in that dark school courtyard. "Just say it the way you would say anything to me. They'll listen."

They were only a few feet apart, but it seemed like _miles_ by the way they spoke to each other.

Katara hugged her arms tightly from the cold, looking elsewhere. Brooding. She was trying so hard to not speak her thoughts at that moment... but glancing back at the determined, dark boy she had gotten to know so well... she just couldn't help herself.

"Zuko, she's dangerous." Her voice was firm, but it could not hide the shaking in her voice. How she was so frightened by what Zuko could possibly face. "She might not be _herself_ right now. I... I don't want her to..."

The young man withheld calmness from his _Shaolin_ nature as he stared back at Katara... struggling to not let those worrisome eyes sink further into his conscience. But she needed reassurance, and he wasn't about to lie to her.

Slowly, Zuko moved to her, dismissing the first signs of rain as it started to fall on his jacket.

"I'll be fine. I promise."

And without thinking twice, as if it were as natural as holding a pencil, the boy hugged her. Something about his scent startled Katara, perhaps realizing that his jacket no longer smelled like smoke. She hugged him back, scooping her arms all the way to his shoulders, not caring about the seconds that seemed to pass there in the cold.

She closed her eyes to prevent foolish tears from shedding, oblivious about the drizzling rain.

"Don't do anything stupid, okay?" Katara managed.

"Thanks," Zuko mumbled sarcastically, clutching her shoulders to hug her more tightly. The first real friend he had ever made.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

With an unspoken exchange of luck by the touching of their heads, Zuko closed his eyes as well. He let the comfort of Katara's arms keep him at bay... reminding him how he _needed _to be careful with whatever he was to face with his sister.

And without a moment's notice, they parted... and Katara watched her best friend walk towards that drizzling darkness ahead. It wasn't long before she tightened her own stomach, to run back into the crowded Praying Mantis auditorium.

Back into the reality that was waiting for her.

* * *

He found his sister in the small patch of light of her own flames, that seemed to encapsulate her within that vast _Shaolin _arena of the school grounds. Not so long ago had she taken the deep surprise on to him in the middle of his practices in this very place...but strangely watching Azula sit meditatively in the grand darkness of this arena made is look much more foreign. As if he'd never set foot inside the arena before.

And Zuko took a few steps forward, curious and cautiously, with a sudden flinch of his weight as he notices his sister holding a small shimmering dagger by a hand... so loosely, it could've been a child's toy.

"Azula... what are you doing--"

"_Shut up, Zuko_!" Azula threw a lifeless, dangerous glare at her faraway brother. "A Fire Nation royal surrenders with dignity."

Her clutch held the sharp dagger in place, and even at the distance between them, Zuko recognized the blade by its insignia that shone against his sister's blazed hands. His mouth trembled, lost for words... pondering the unthinkable and painful.

_Never give up without a fight._

It was a dagger the royal siblings knew far too well, as the one that their own father, Grand Prince Ozai... had attempted to use on himself. A dagger that left the entire royal family in shame as they snatched it away... only to find the man missing soon afterwards... assuming that their Grand Prince had run off into the unknown, abandoning his country forever.

But Zuko still trembled with those nightmares from long ago, imagining his father take his own life with that inscription piercing his heart to the very hilt of the blade. The boy knew his father's ambition for power even at the age of seven... when Uncle's willingness to rule the Fire Nation with extraordinary balance and grace overcame Ozai. The man had no other reason to stay.

Not even for his wife. His children.

A solitary tear began to stream down Zuko's trembling eyes, seeing his sister kneel in that meditative posture, with the fright and realization that his sister was absolutely certain... _conscious_ of what she was about to do.

"There is _no dignity _in this_... _Azula."

He chose his words carefully as he spoke, not taking his eyes off the gilded blade as she held it over her royal topknot. Zuko couldn't tell by her backside if she was listening to him... but that didn't matter... not as much as the blade still being in his sight.

The prince already knew his sister's strength and perseverance, but he had never seen her so quiet, so vulnerable before. Those small seconds that passed between his words made those thoughts even more deadly in his mind.

"How would _you _know the first rule of dignity, brother?"

Azula's voice came in breaths, like a code set into the tiniest of whispers, and Zuko's eyes rose even higher. His heart was beating wildly, terrified as the girl he'd grown up with suddenly spoke so foreign to him.

Her dark hair locks were slightly covering the corners of her eyes... those sad, piercing copper eyes that turned to see him

"Azula..."

The boy kept attempting to reach her. It was like a sudden tidal wave of memories - images - were drenching him into such confusion, wondering if there had ever been a moment that he had missed. A moment where he could have acted as the big brother to her.

"Tell, me, Zuko." In spite of her hidden maniacal voice, Azula managed to challenge her brother, as usual. Her head turned slightly at an angle to meet one of his matching copper eyes. "How long did you believe that stupid lie I told you, of our great grandfather's death?"

Zuko's lips felt numb and dry, suddenly losing its ability to close. His eyelids refused to blink as Azula continued to speak...

"Fire Lord Sozin was trying to give our Nation the greatest acknowledgment and pride this world had even seen. He found his chance in the form of a comet... _Sozin's Comet_, Zuko."

"I_ know_ this." Zuko clenched his fists to speak out clearly, but in the calmest way he could ever speak to his sister. "It was the Comet that broke the friendship between our great grandfather and the Avatar Roku. He never forgave him for the damage he'd caused to the four Nations."

"Yes..." Azula's voice was mimicking more like a serpent's hiss in every small second. "And when Fire Lord Sozin realized that _absolute power _was no longer possible for him, and it had cost him his best friend's trust... he surrendered his heart, mind, and spirit... _willingly_."

"What are you talking about?"

"_HE DID NOT DIE IN HIS SLEEP, ZUKO!" _

The loud words spat themselves out of Azula's lips like daggers as she flinched her face towards her brother. Her maniacal glare was insulting the young prince's ability to think clearly, hurting him with an absolute truth.

"Azula, if there is anything I could--"

"Do you know how it feels, dear brother?" The girl rasped in her deadly, yet still conversational voice, keeping the dagger with two fists over her eyes steadily. "Having that drive for respect -- for power -- _suddenly get taken from you_..."

"No," the boy said quietly, feeling his voice shiver. It wasn't a response, but a simple plea for his little sister to put the dagger to the ground. "Azula, y– you don't have to see it like that..."

"..._watching your friends abandon you_..."

"Sister..."

"..._and leave you all alone, with nothing_?"

"You're not alone!"

"You're right, Zuko. I'm not." Her mouth was slowly drawing to a close as she continued to stare at her brother viciously. "Because now I understand. Dad, and Great-Grandfather Sozin... they felt _exactly the same way_."

Azula took a calming, yet tremulous breath. It was the most dangerous sense of peace Zuko had ever witnessed in her.

_It can't be true, _Zuko pleaded with his mind, _Father disappeared. His body was never found. He wouldn't take his own life! He would NEVER do that to his family._

"It's a tradition, you know."

Azula's velvety voice crept back into the silence, like the smallest of spider fleas crawling along the walls.

"Fire Nation royalty have _always_ learned about this passing; surrendering one's heart and spirit into flames. I read about it... just after Dad had decided to do it to himself," the girl made a hint of a laugh by her own words, and Zuko's copper eyes began to glimmer. "But not everyone carries the circumstances to do it. That means it is quite an _honor _for to me to leave this way..."

Zuko stepped forward on instinct, seeing how the blade was moving out of his contact, hiding obscurely behind his sister's head. But as Azula kept talking sincerely, he knew that it was still outside of range.

"A long meditation, both arms clutching the sky with an honorable blade... and with the right amount of energy, we conjure what our family has called the _Passage of Agni_... our life force leaving our body... never to disturb the balance of anything again."

Zuko swallowed hard beneath his heavy jaw. He was disgusted and utterly frightened about this form of death, still appalled at how their father had decided to leave this world. The boy's heart beat rapidly, and goosebumps formed on his skin, seeing how his sister was ready to do the same. In his mind... an in that slight distance that held them apart... Zuko couldn't help but see her as the little girl.

_That adventurous little girl, who laughed so warmly under the arms of her big brother._

Zuko's voice trembled as he spoke, reaching out a hand to distantly hold his sister intact.

"Azula... _don't_..."

"Fire Lord Sozin used the _Passage _when he realized his failure with the Comet. Our dad used it when he lost the Agni Kai to our uncle Iroh, unable to accept that defeat. And me?"

Zuko felt his legs take an unexpected forward... and he approached her quickly, not wanting to hear any more words.

But as Azula blinked her magnificent copper eyes to her brother... Zuko saw her undying determination in them... along with a rapid fire ball that she let loose from one of her quick-moving fists. The boy's body dodged it and fell offside to the marble floor with a grunt, feeling his own heart begin to crush when he turned around to lock eyes with his sister again.

Her lips were small and trembling over to him, as if she were fighting to urge to weep.

"A princess knows when she is defeated, Zuko. I won't bother you, or Mom, or anyone else... anymore."

At that, the small blue flames came into existence from her very hands clutching the blade, while Azula's face looked so unbelievably calm from her self-proclaimed surrender. It was when Zuko faintly got up and tried to reach her again... to help in any way a big brother could... that Azula's copper eyes turned lifeless.

"_Get AWAY from here." _Azula threatened her brother as the blue flame began to levitate into a circle around the blade... sending blue sparks violently outward to the space that surrounded the girl. It took Zuko by immediate surprise, stumbling backwards on his own two feet.

_His mind returned to that night on Ember Island, sitting on a beach with a girl who had dared to bring a hand to a troubled boy's face... remembering how a few simple words and gestures had brought meaning back into his life. It was something that would stay close to his heart forever._

But watching his own sister fall prey to this nothingness, Zuko realized.... that he couldn't hold this transformation only for himself.

Tears began to run down the boy's cheeks. _She was once just an annoying, gifted, beautiful little girl. _Zuko's mind lingered along those memories, his fingers trembling._ What went wrong? _

He had to help her. He would never forgive himself if he didn't.

"_No,_" he barely heard himself speak from the internal sobbing that was forming in his throat, placing his palms firmly to the ground. "_Zules, I'm not leaving you_."

She didn't blink.

"_It is for my own honor."_ Whether she was speaking to her brother, or to the very source of energy that was keeping her alive... the boy couldn't tell. Her voice was so sullen at that moment, as she held dagger up as if offering her self to the grand ceiling before them.

A few meditative breaths released themselves from her part, and Zuko saw the unthinkable; the beautiful blue flame slowly engulfing the entire dagger... the arms that held it... taking life all the way down to the girl's very toes... as if devouring Azula's very being. He witnessed how her sleek hair suddenly levitated on her scalp like she was slowly getting electrocuted. But her eyes remained serenely closed... letting her body surrender under her own iconic blue flames...

"_AZULA!!!!_"

Zuko tried to stop her incredulously with another lunge from his two feet, but the woman launched a flame from her body like a tentacle, without having to move a hand from her dagger. The boy ducked the whip of the deadly flame as it passed him on his left side... but it brushed onto the edge of his thigh into a burn, and the boy cried out in pain.

* * *

It was near the end of the second act when Aang gave a dreadful grunt of pain onstage, and On Ji flinched towards him in surprise.

He'd been in the middle of saying his final monologue, and a small rustling of whispered began to brew from the audience... wondering why the boy had stopped so abruptly. _Did he get a stomachache? _The airbender girl comfortingly placed a hand on her friend's shoulder, who now seemed to be gritting his teeth with the pain occuring from the inside.

_Wh– what's wrong? _On Ji attempted to Speak to him, but Aang just stared at her frighteningly.

There was no time, he thought flustered. He had to get to Azula before things turned out for the absolute worse. The play had to end... now.

_Kiss me, On Ji, _he responded to her through his mind nervously, but anxiously.

_Huh? _The girl's eyes rose immediately_. But Aang..._

_We have to get to Azula before she– _another ache in came towards his frame like an icy dagger. _On Ji, please... kiss me now! We need to finish this!_

And slowly the young girl nodded... bravely breathing in, and shutting her eyes before taking Aang's pain-stricken face tightly to her own.

* * *

**A/N: Lots of drama, no? So before people complain about the "I love you" moment, let me explain: Zuko and Katara are best friends. It's so much easier to say "I love you" to a friend** **who's going through a tough time, rather than to someone you're falling romantically for.** **Even if she can't say it to Aang right away, Katara's a very demonstrative person and would probably **_**show**_** this love through her actions. That's kinda how I saw her in the **_**Avatar **_**series, anyway.** **Hah, you have **_**no idea**_** how long I debated keeping that "I love you" moment in there, but I just felt it was needed. –MM**


	32. Rescue

Katara could feel her heartbeats batting through her chest as she took the center of the stage, not having recovered from that unexpected _rush_ of an ending that Aang had decided to pull with On Ji. Her mind was racing as she stood there, watching Aang scurry off behind the curtain but giving her one last reassuring smile before the Presidential candidate finally took the stage for her speech.

People were still applauding as she had walked to the center, the trail of her water-tribe gown feeling so much heavier than she anticipated. After she had finally made it, she watched all the members of the cast show up behind her on stage in their full-fledged costumes, standing behind her for the curtain call with so much love and support. Before she'd begun to speak, she clapped for Haru way up in the lighting nest... and he gave her a 'thumbs up.'

"My– my fellow classmates and friends of Praying Mantis High... I wanted to thank you all for attending the Drama Club's production of _The Tale of Omashu._"

She had no idea where Aang and the other airbenders had run off to... but she had a feeling this was meant to be. Katara _knew_ she needed to stand her ground alone, and tell the school what she personally felt about her Student Council mission for Praying Mantis High.

Slowly, she made a bold and very determined grin to the audience as they quieted down, and her heartbeats returned to normal upon seeing familiar faces. She saw the school counselor Iroh, sitting loyally next to the Praying Mantis principal himself, Avatar Roku. She located the very supportive-but-critical faces of her Gran-Gran and Pakku sitting lovingly side by side... and her eyes almost watered at the sight of her smiling father... who had gone out of his way at work in order to make it to his daughter's speech.

"Um..." her voice stumbled slightly, forgetting the next thing she was supposed to say. All these listening ears were almost becoming too much for her. "As you may have noticed, our production of _Omashu _was slightly altered, because we wanted to incorporate the importance of... of _diversity_ and appreciation of cultural... um, _differences._"

She took a small breath, wondering how much easier it could've been to have the airbenders here and give her that motivation to speak more strongly. But Toph was the one who tugged on her robe sleeve slightly from behind, as if saying '_get with the program already!'_ without moving her mouth. Katara frowned, bit her lip and looked back out at the audience who was already starting to mumble amongst themselves.

"Everyone! Please understand... I know this is going to sound very cruel and demeaning about the Fire Nation, but I honestly don't mean it that way. _The Fire Nation has indirectly dominated Praying Mantis High since the day I came to this school, _and I think it's time for change."

Those words definitely brought some attention, especially to Avatar Roku himself, who moved himself more upright in his seat for Katara's full attention.

* * *

Zuko barely felt his own legs running painstakingly towards his sister, losing the passage of time as each second seemed to last longer and longer... with every strand of white light that extended from Azula's glowing presence.

The strands were no longer being aimed at him... but rather, it seemed that Azula had surrendered control of them, and Zuko saw his sister curled up like a child within that very glow.

It caught him off-guard, and Zuko almost didn't see the giant tentacle of light pass dangerously close to his face -- the scarred side of this face.

And while he ran among this catastrophic danger... the memories caught up with him.

_He remembered that evening when he'd confronted her about stealing... confronting her about taking their father's old calligraphy pen from his closet, knowing that it was the only heirloom he'd given to the boy before his disappearance. _

_And that day had not been a good one for Azula... as it had been her last day of summer before another year at the Royal Fire Academy for Girls... and once again, Ty Lee and Mai had not written a single letter to her. Zuko knew how delicate the subject matter was to her, at the vulnerable age of eleven, but the boy had had enough of her sister's stealing... of her breaking the rules only for the sake of being recognized. _

_Zuko had screamed at her, demanding that she give back his calligraphy pen while she sat alone near the royal fireplace. She had been there, hugging her knees and brooding, refusing to look at her older brother in the face while a certain pen was clipped across her topknotted hair. _

_She had told him to go fuck himself... and Zuko's thirteen-year-old mouth quivered in rage._

_He remembered saying things to her as she sat unmovably... terrible, twisted things... claiming it was no wonder she didn't have any friends - being the overbearing little liar and thief that she was - that the only reason she was sent away to school was because Mom was tired of dealing with her bullshit. And he remembered -_ sometimes Zuko wished he could've stopped time completely, for doing so _– his voice saying "If you're so obsessed over Dad leaving... why don't you go off and FIND him? It's not like anybody'll care if you're gone." _

_And that was when Azula -- without a moment's warning -- had launched the fire-blast to her brother's face._

_Nothing had ever been the same between them._

His breath shook at those memories, now seeing his sister aglow with such a deadly force. And now with every attempt Zuko did to bring himself closer to her form, it seemed to cast a brighter sense on her... as if Azula had peacefully set herself on fire... but without a sign of burns following. And the boy jumped out of the tentacle-like reaches of Azula's light as it seemed to feed off of the very space the _Shaolin _arena withheld for it.

The boy had never been more afraid of light... of the very essence of his Fire-bending self.

Zuko eyes began to tear, finally concluding to summon his own golden fire and fight against sister's unmatchable life-force. He had never seen this light before... and still could not fathom that his own father and great-grandfather had used it on themselves. These pieces of information were all new to him, and they traveled along the young prince's mind while he cried out to Azula... hoping that she could still hear him.

* * *

"We all know that our founding Principal, Avatar Roku, meant no disrespect when he created Praying Mantis High on the basis of bringing all of our various cultures together."

Katara continued to speak her mind, gradually remembering the things she had written on paper in bits and pieces... but letting it flow smoothly and honestly to the people who listened. Avatar Roku seemed to be the most intent, with the vice principal Zhao sitting next to him with the most annoyed gaze.

"His intentions were good; he wanted to let people from different backgrounds interact with each other in the same place without any prejudice," Katara felt her teeth click in a pause. "It's the reason my Dad took me and my brother into Praying Mantis in the first place; he thought it would be a great opportunity for us to meet kids outside of our Southern Water Tribe."

Sokka raised a brow at the mentioning of himself, remembering that first day he'd walked into a classroom full of Earth Kingdom citizens and lovely little girls in full Kyoshi make-up. He made a lingering grin to Suki as they stood on-stage, realizing that if it hadn't been for this school... they never would've met. Slow he wrapped an arm behind Suki's back, blushing.

"I'm really certain that I speak for many of us in the Water Tribes, the Earth Kingdom, and small-but-still-significant Air Temples... that we in this school have been culturally-harassed by the Fire Nation for a very long time. Although the school itself offers many activities that favor each Nation - benders and non-benders alike - it doesn't excuse the lack of respect many of us have had to go through. We've been bullied about our heritage, been told to accept one nation's rules and favor their own customs... and because of that, many kids have absentmindedly hidden their strengths and cultural pride at school in order to survive humiliation."

Some voices in the audience began to turn heads towards Avatar Roku (who still looked unblinkingly at Katara), a few people murmuring things and staring blankly at the cast-members who stood on the stage.

"I know it's hard to accept," Katara finally felt at ease in the spotlight, looking out to her classmates and teachers, "and I don't mean to offend anyone in the Fire Nation. As a matter of fact, I've had the chance to get to know the Fire Nation this year _more_ than ever... and not only did I learn to appreciate their culture, but I also found my best friend."

She felt her eyes begin to glimmer once again, hoping that Zuko was somewhere safe, coping with his sister in the best way he could. Her instincts said that _that_ was where Aang and the others had run off to... knowing fully well that the Fire Nation prince needed support, and that it was the airbenders' duty to go to those in danger.

"And I want to speak for the Airbending community most of all, since they couldn't be here," Katara then brought up and searched for Zhao's face in the crowd. "The Airbenders are the smallest community this school has, but regardless... I've never met a prouder group of young people willing to make a difference in their school.

"Aang and On Ji – they played _Oma _and _Shu _- they were the ones who wanted to show just how special their culture is this year... and they were the_ first ones to get bullied_. They could've stepped down, but instead they kept our school safe from further bullying while Avatar Roku was gone. Aang taught the airbenders how to be more proud of their abilities. I can tell you right now - because I'm sure Aang would want me to do so - he is the _Avatar-in-Training. _He's one of the bravest kids I've ever met, and after what I've seen him do... I know he's going to change the world._"_

It was then that Avatar Roku made his first sudden movement. A smile showed up on his face.

"I know this might be a little intimidating to hear, but I don't want anyone to be upset or offended after tonight." Katara stepped forward a little, flexing her fingers to conclude her speech. "The reason I'm running for Student Class President is to _get rid _of all these prejudices, and hope that we can rebuild Praying Mantis with its initial mission: _to bring Unity through Diversity._"

Some people turned heads the moment Bumi snorted a spontaneous "WooHoo!" from the very back of the audience. A few cast members snickered, and Toph just burst out laughing, which strangely enough made Katara smile and feel better about her final statement.

"I'm not asking for your votes tonight... I just want you all to have an open mind and hear what everyone _standing up here with me_ has to say about their experience at Praying Mantis School."

And as Katara stepped back to join the row of cast members behind her, another small applause was initiated from the audience, with Chief Hakoda whistling supportively. And at the very right of the row, Jet coolly held a set of hooked swords over his back and walked to the front stage to tell his story.

* * *

"ZUKO!!!"

On Ji's voice echoed, not expecting to see the dark prince's form practically crawling away for dear life as she air-skated into the grand _Shaolin _arena.

Aang and Loung had flown in on his air glider over On Ji's head, and as a sudden strand of Azula's life-force made its way to the flying duo... Loung immediately air-blocked that intensive power with his hands, and pushed himself off the glider with the impact.

Loung landed safely on his toes (something Aang had told him to master before _anything_ else) and Suganya, Brei An, and Xai ran swiftly past the entrance to huddle near him. They were all taken aback by the unusual sense of light coming through that place, almost hypnotized by the power that came in tentacles by one central orb.

It wasn't until Brei An gasped and pointed frighteningly to that orb that they all realized... _Azula was inside there._

"_Guys!_" On Ji's voice tried to sound over the noisy beams of light that flew wildly all over the place. "_Zuko's hurt. He's... he can't get up."_

The little girl couldn't look down at Zuko directly... she was too busy air-shielding the nearby light that was incoming, and her brown eyes were almost welling up at the helplessness. Aang heard On Ji's plea as he landed with his air-glider gracefully, and just as quickly twirling it to block Azula's powerful light beams from hitting him.

It was much more powerful than he anticipated, almost taking him off-balance as he ran over to On Ji and Zuko among the darkness. Suganya led the others to the same spot, and for a few seconds, the airbenders huddled and air-shielded Zuko complete out of danger.

"What's wrong with him?" On Ji asked in concern as Suganya went down to feel the young man's pulse.

"He's breathing..." Suganya detected, trying to study the prince's groans "but he must've over-used his fire-bending at some point. Those fire-blasts are way too powerful for just one person to take on alone... _what was he thinking?_"

"They're not fire-blasts," Aang said as he turned over to watch the blinding light-strands touch the ceiling of the arena... _as if fishing for a way out._ "It's something stronger, and I don't think he'd expected her to be that powerful."

"How're we gonna get this kid out of here?" Xai began to send a stronger air-shield, fiercely against Azula's light as it approached the group. "These things are going all over the place!"

Aang stared at Azula, trying to look at that calm face that was sitting in suspended animation within the very core of the sporadic light. They had to wait it out, he thought. Surely she couldn't hold out that power for much longer.

"Xai... you're the strongest," Aang began to say loudly, stepping out and taking the buff airbender's place as the shielder. "Put Zuko over your shoulder and start walking towards the entrance. Use one hand to airshield; the rest of us will hold the light off until Azula stops."

Xai looked at the small leader questionably, but without saying a word, he picked up Zuko and placed his weight on one shoulder. As he started to take small steps away from the group, the others joined Aang in blocking the powerful light with all of their airbending strength. Brei An absentmindedly attempted to Speak to Azula as the girl's form continued to sit at a distance within her own light sphere... her hair disheveled, her eyes closed in such peace. The light did not seem to be getting any weaker by Suganya's stand point, and Loung was losing grip fast as another tentacle of Azula's life-force made it straight to his way. On Ji was breathing deeply to keep up, and Aang could already see signs of sweat in her bangs.

"This is crazy!" Xai shouted at Aang as he made his way out still, holding Zuko with one arm. "She's not gonna stop this thing until she's... she's gone. _We've gotta fight her back_."

"_How?_" Suganya pleaded in frustration back to Xai, conjuring the best air-shield she could manage from Azula's incoming light. More of the tentacles were heading their way, causing a grand brilliance of deadly light in one side of the arena. It was incredible how much sound the impact gave against the natural airbending shield.

On Ji turned her head over to see Zuko, as if wondering if his weak self would make it to Yugoda's clinic by the time this was over. This unfair _Agni Kai _had taken a lot out of this brave man... who'd once helped her deal with Hide's threatening antics way back in the woods. She wondered if _any _of the airbenders would make it out safely, hoping that these light blasts would not last very much longer.

But then something occurred to Aang; the fact that this supernaturally strong light was coming from an unfamiliar source in Azula.... _a matter that was not completely from this world._

_And Aang knew right then, that he was the only one who could get to her._

"_Airbenders!_" His silver eyes rose, and Suganya winced. "I need you all to spread out and circle around her. Hold out your hands and _shield_ her life-force as much as you can. Remember to breathe... stay calm... and CONCENTRATE!"

"What're _you _doing?" Loung asked, frightened by the change of plan.

"I'm gonna try and get to her," Aang said calmly, but Brei An's eyes widened in response. "This light is her life-force; I can _feel _it. If I don't stop her from releasing it now, she might die. Maybe I can do it if I reach the Avatar State."

Suganya hesitated, thinning her eyes. "Aang, but--"

"Suganya, you're in charge now," the boy stated boldly as they all kept their air-shields intact. "Make sure everyone's keeping a steady grip on the air while I'm gone."

On Ji was about to say something else, but Aang started twirling his air-glider another direction to get out of their way.

"Be careful," the Kyoshi airbender managed, while she and the others began moving accordingly. Their feet swiftly sprinted towards different sides of the arena as their airbending arms worked diligently to encapsulate Azula's light.

The princess's life force extended throughout the dark space like white, graceful tentacles... and Aang saw the girl more clearly curled up in a fetal position within the very core of that sphere... completely losing herself to the power she had summoned. He now knew that every second was precious.

While Loung and Suganya tackled the great tentacles in front of them and moved quickly towards the right side of the darkness, On Ji kept herself stead on one corner... but almost jumped out of concentration as she felt Aang grip a hand on her shoulder.

She saw the spectacular, deadly life force of Azula's light reflect in his grey eyes.

"On Ji, I need you to lift me up right over that sphere before it gets any wilder."

The little girl's eyebrows rose. "But Aang, that's... _I've NEVER lifted someone for that long_--"

"_Don't hesitate!_" He kept his gripping voice to her, the corner of his eye watching the airbenders finally circle themselves around Azula and air-shielding her _Passage of Agni _into a remarkable sphere."Just trust me, okay?"

On Ji's eyes glimmered foolishly, her hair bangs moving from the intense wind being manipulated by her peers. She still didn't understand, right then, why this boy had _insisted _on helping this cruel young princess... but she wasn't about to question Aang. Not when every second in that dark _Shaolin _arena brought something closer to life or death.

Slowly, On Ji nodded, and Aang broke off into a brisk run to get himself ready for the lift.

Loung was gritting his teeth with endurance, his dreadlocks floundering... his skin feeling the intense heat of Azula's light as it fought the air-shield of all these airbenders combined. It was like watching a grand electrical sphere take life within the form of a young, helpless girl at its core... as if she were imprisoned there. He caught sight of Aang running towards the sphere, watching On Ji summon a grand series of wind-threads that took hold of his ankles.

Suganya caught sight of that too, lost for words.

On Ji kept her arms straight with open palms, her full concentration on Aang's feather-light body as it suspended in the air. In spite of all the noise and commotion that seemed to consume everyone's thoughts, Aang's face looked so calm and straightforward... and his arrow tattoos began to glow. His eyes then followed.

The airbenders barely recognized him, now.

_Keep fighting her, guys... _ Aang's voice came to them in their thoughts..._ You're doing great. I'm almost there. _

On Ji brought a stronger gust of wind towards the young boy while his Avatar State enveloped his whole self, almost making him heavier. She kept herself at balance while her airbending lifted Aang higher and higher with the small tornado around his feet. And the glowing boy was only focusing at the giant sphere of wild light ahead of him... as if he were being lured towards it blindly like a cricket-moth.

As if without any awareness of the danger.

But even through his overwhelming Avatar State, the boy felt safe under his fellow airbenders' locking power of that sphere. He still felt On Ji's strong air-lifts underneath his feet, enduring so much restraint to get him to the very top... where the Avatar needed to be.

_Yes... he felt safe. He trusted them._

It was at the very moment he flew over the top of Azula's very powerful core, that Aang knew he had to concentrate as the Avatar Spirit more than he ever could. He felt the voice of Monk Gyatso telling him to not lose himself in this journey between the Human world and the Spirit World... that one false movement inside the Spirit on a human being would leave the Avatar stranded and lost, if he were not careful.

He heard Gyatso telling him to focus.. .to follow the voice or the image of whatever he needed to find... and to see his destination as the small speck of light at a never-ending tunnel of darkness. This was what he needed to do, in order to level with a troubled girl's mind and rescue her from the unthinkable, to prevent her Spirit from being destroyed.

And within his celestial sphere, hovering over Azula's powerful life force like a moth-fly, Aang remembered what he said to On Ji... immediately understanding the depth of responsibility ahead of him as the Avatar. He was supposed to take care of each living creature as if they were precious gifts, and not judging them by their past mistakes.

It was all a blessing and a curse... but in the end, he would not have wanted it any other way.

In a moment's breath, his glowing eyes taking in the overwhelming power of the girl's spirit, Aang dove into that core where Azula's body floated... and he felt himself falling into a pool of darkness and air.

_A world he was already too familiar with._

* * *

_He felt his limbs running up a stairwell in such a blur, as if his spiritual instincts were making the decision to run for him. _

_This wasn't a dream; it couldn't be. His senses were so clear - much more clear than he'd could ever remember in the real world. Was this really the Spirit World?_

_He kept running up that endless circular stairway, feeling the powerful energy from elsewhere seem to drain him of his own by invisible strings. Thin little vacuums of strings. All he could hear were the distant echoes of people... people he knew... speaking off as if to nothingness, as if to the very darkness itself. _

"_What's wrong with that child?"_

"_My dear... should I ever have the opportunity to become Fire Lord, I promise... you will play an outstanding role in my court." _

"_...Why don't you go off and FIND him? It's not like anybody'll care if you're gone."_

"_How could you do that to me? Those posters!... I... You... were a princess. I trusted you!"_

"_I'd gladly take you down myself, Azula, but since that will get me expelled..."_

"_AZULA, DON'T BURN THEM, PLEASE!"_

"_... I don't think anyone will care about what happens to you." _

_Aang kept hearing these people speak out into the nothingness that stood outside the stairwell, and he followed the steps, trying to look ahead to see if there was any sign of where his Avatar Spirit was telling him to go. This was an alternate reality... beyond what he could imagine the Spirit World to be. _

_Or perhaps, he thought, this wasn't the Spirit World at all. _

_Perhaps... this was only the Spirit of one person. _

_And suddenly, the boy eye's rose as he realized what he was looking for. The voices he heard along the glass-less windows as he ran became much more clear... as if they had been memories in full audio storage of someone's mind._

_Her mind._

_The voices became more understandable, louder in the very essence of his Avatar being as they crossed his mind. Aang felt himself drawing closer and closer to the person Azula had made herself become... understanding what had led her to cause such an action. Finally understanding why she wanted to take her own life._

_With a few more stairs, breathlessly taking them one-by-one as if in a weightless dream... Aang finally made it to the top of the circular stairwell... to the landing of what looked like an ancient tower... with window carvings that looked remarkably like the ones he'd studied about the Fire Nation royal palace. And in the distance, looking out into an open window like a child but hunched over like an old woman... stood Azula._

_At least, that's what Aang assumed her to be... watching her turn around swiftly at the presence of company, with so much hatred still lingering in her baggy, yet iconic golden-copper eyes. She wore her elegant Fire Nation robes, in the manner of Ms. Ursa did whenever she taught class and made them look less overbearing of weight. But Azula's face, as aged as it looked, did not seem at all elderly or weakened to fit the part. She just looked... sad. Betrayed. As if she had lived her entire life alone, looking out the window to find some sort of reason to her miserable passage. Her completely-gray hair held itself in the royal topknot, with a few reluctant strands hanging loosely at the sides of her face... longer than the usual bangs she had when Aang first saw her._

_Aang did not need to second guess why Azula had appeared this way. _

_Indeed... this was the Azula she was leaving behind... the one who was supposed to live a long, meaningful life before passing onto the Spirit World._

"_What are you doing here?" she demanded, her worn voice sounding as gritty as sandpaper._

"_Azula, you're making a mistake." Aang felt his natural voice coming back even in the Spiritual presence, slowly attempting to approach this alternate form of Azula. "Please... come back."_

"_Come back to WHAT?" the old woman challenged, the bitterness in her velvety voice too familiar for Aang to face without tears forming in his eyes. "To be humiliated? RIDICULED? Nobody will take me seriously anymore. Nobody wants me to come back."_

"_That's not true, Azula," Aang walked a bit closer, but the woman flinched defensively. "You just need to give people a chance... trust me. If you forgive yourself, they can forgive you, too. It doesn't have to end like this."_

"_You don't understand... I can't face them, anymore," she closed her eyes with rage. "I don't deserve forgiveness. I hate the person I've become."_

"_I almost did, too." Aang reasoned with pure honesty, reaching out a hand to see if she'd budge. "But let me tell you something: on my first day at Praying Mantis school, I saw a girl fire-bend with so much passion in her eyes. She looked like she had the entire world on her side just by doing something that she loved... and with that amount of determination... she could do anything she wanted with her life. I had a feeling she'd turn into something great."_

_Her brilliant-yet-aged copper eyes rose critically, almost in disbelief._

"_Azula," Aang spoke serenely, his voice almost echoing around them. "You can't force people to think the same way you do, pretending like their lives and their ideas are not important. You're not going to gain anyone's trust by saying you're better than them. Nobody makes friends that way... and you don't have to pretend like you're strong enough alone."_

_This older Azula stared down at the young boy, her lower jaw quivering, and her eyes refusing to blink while tears began to well in her eyes. _

"_You stupid child... why do you want to help me?"_

"_Because no one deserves to be alone. Not even you."_

_And before he could even stop himself, or think about those copper eyes that stared so cunningly back at him... Aang threw his arms over Azula's shoulders and embraced her like a blanket. He couldn't even feel his own skin anymore... like his Avatar Spirit was ultimately enveloping around Azula's broken spirit with all the warmth it could muster._

* * *

She heard herself crying within that warmth, the tears streaming down her face and lingering at the edge of her jaw. Azula couldn't even recognize the arms that held her so tightly, and for a single moment she _swore _it must have been the voice of her father, telling her that "everything was going to be okay" in the softest echoes of her mind.

But as she finally let the overwhelming tears slide to open her eyes, and the blurry image came as a young boy with a blue mark... catching her to the ground as they fell back into the dark _Shaolin _arena and the brilliant light had fading completely. The airbenders gasped all around the space, running towards the fallen pair as Aang slowly regained himself and held a small fist up to fire-bend some light.

Azula was still shaking into regular consciousness, weeping, her jaw still shaking by the overwhelming amount of energy that had left her system. Before anyone else knew, a few more people had made it into the darkened arena... perhaps realizing just what had happened to the missing airbenders right after the _OmaShu _play had finished.

Katara had led a few people into the darkened arena, looking around to find the faces of her airbending friends and Zuko. When she noticed Xai carrying an injured Zuko at the entrance, she immediately took her water pouch to give him nourishment as Yugoda made it to help herself. Sokka and Suki ran over to the commotion, mesmerized as Aang held a weakened Azula tightly in the dim light of the _Shaolin _arena... like a man cradling a child to sleep.

Toph had run in to see what the fuss was about, and the vibrations she felt on the ground were intriguingly slow as she felt the Fire Nation princess in the arena. She didn't know whether to feel sorry for her, or relieved that she had barely gotten out of a fight alive.

The airbenders gathered around Azula, while many other faces came into the circle to help with the fallen princess. Aang recognized the face of Avatar Roku immediately among the dim light, with a face that said clearly, '_we're overdue for a long talk after this." _Katara appeared in the circle, taking in her maternal instincts and embracing Aang at the shoulders in such relief... kissing him on the forehead.

"What happened?" She asked.

"I'll explain later," the boy said calmly, carefully holding on to Azula as she still kept her weakened self curled up, hugging Aang's frame.

More familiar faces showed up in the circle, and Azula embraced them all as her eyes slowly opened in sadness. She saw Aang right above her line of vision, holding the only resourceful light... and then, she saw the uncanny face of her mother... her ridiculous Uncle Iroh walking slowly near her side... followed by the faces of people she once despised so much she couldn't remember why.

And the soft sobs kept coming, hearing herself say "_I'm sorry_" in whimpers to everyone and yet no one at the same time. Aang brought Azula's limping, weakened body fully to the ground of the _Shaolin _arena, not taking his concern over her as he felt his Avatar State finally left him.

"Look; her hands!" Ty Lee's voice squeaked sadly from the back, and Katara noticed the damaged, burning color of the girl's skin. On Ji watched as the cheerleader came closer to Azula without the slightest hesitation, examining the wounds and wondering the depth of damage a supernatural power like the _Passage of Agni_ had made on her.

Katara brought out some water from her pouch instinctively, exchanging a glance with Ms. Ursa right before she decided to give her healing abilities a try... since Nurse Yugoda was still helping Zuko near the entrance. But the vibrant glow of the healing water maintained itself under the girl's hand, as if nothing had occured.

As if Azula's hands weren't even wounded at all.

Katara winced, stopping the healing process as her hands came to her side.

"What is it?" Sokka asked, running to his sister in concern and support. Aang looked up immediately, and then to Azula's wrinkled hands.

It suddenly made sense to him.

"They're not burned." Katara exclaimed. "They're.... old...."

_The Passage of Agni had taken life from Azula... from the hands that held the dagger towards the sky and surrendered her body to nothingness. What stayed behind were wrinkled hands of the old woman Aang had met along the journey of her Spirit... the woman Azula was _supposed _to become before death crossed her path._

Aang eyes teared up, realizing that he'd managed to save most of this young, beautiful and graceful girl.

A girl who, perhaps, just needed someone to look up to for an awfully long time.

"She's gonna be fine," Aang then said happily.

Hopefully.

* * *

**A/N - Happy belated Mother's Day! I hope you liked this chapter... it took a lot out of me. ^^ Just to clarify, Azula is still Azula... except for her hands; they are now old and decrepit (which means she can't fire-bend that strongly anymore). I figured this was necessary for Azula to change, and try to make friends just by being herself. o_0 Hehehe. Anyway, I have just one chapter before the epilogue comes up... which involves the Year-End dance, of course! Thanks for being so patient with this. I can't believe it's almost over! --MM**


	33. Avatar in Training

"You wanted to see me, Principal Roku?"

The Avatar had been going through an pile of paperwork scattered on his carved oak wood desk, when Aang's blue arrow peeped into the office.

He didn't think he'd be nervous, meeting Roku only the second time since the beginning of the school year... but still, he felt his stomach growing heavy with anticipation of the talk. Perhaps it was because this time... he was actually speaking to Roku in _person_, rather than just his Spiritual self.

As the principal looked up from his desk, seeing the nervous-yet-bold look on Aang as he creaked open the door, Roku gestured with a hand.

"Aang, please come in." the old man's rusty voice said easily, closing the folder of papers in front of him. "I'd just finished speaking with the princess Azula."

"_Don't kick her out of the school_." Aang heard himself say even before he took a seat. "Please... Principal Roku... sir, I--"

The Avatar raised a gentle hand in the air to bring the boy to silence. His elderly face had never looked more stern, yet graceful as he sustained attention of his young apprentice.

Aang had no idea what the verdict was. It hadn't even been a _day _since the incident occurred in the _Shaolin _arena, and the boy had been so bombarded with people and questions that he'd barely been able to catch a glimpse of Azula as she'd left for her hearing the next morning. Katara sat by him during lunch with the airbenders, and he'd told her what happened in the most minuscule detail, attempting to describe what it was like traveling through the _Spirit World, _searching for Azula. A bunch of the _OmaShu _players had also gone in to visit Zuko in the nursing clinic, still recovering from his wounds from the _Agni Kai_, and Aang tried not to laugh when Katara pestered the prince about trying to take on Azula's power by himself.

Aang'd almost lost it completely when he saw Song blush at the corner of his eye, pretending to not notice Katara sitting closely to Zuko.

It seemed that after the _OmaShu _play, the arena incident, and even after the school-wide voting for Student Council that same morning... everyone had carried on with their routine among the Praying Mantis grounds. Everyone seemed to be recovering, except for Azula... which was why Aang was so curious - almost _scared_ - about Avatar Roku's decision with her.

The principal took a small breath before speaking, each word carrying a sort of weight as it passed.

"What you did for that girl, Aang... I cannot even begin to express. It was remarkable."

His elderly eyes welled with tears as he paused, glancing down at his papers as if in deep guilt.

"In the end, it was her choice to leave."

Aang's mouth gaped. "What do you mean?"

"She is not well, Aang," the principal explained, his rusty voice more soft-spoken. "Azula told me that herself - _in the most tearful confession imaginable _- just before you came in."

"But I want to help her!" the boy persisted, getting up immediately from his chair to get closer to the principal's desk. "She doesn't have to leave Praying Mantis. Roku, please... if you let her stay, everyone will see her differently. _I know _it!"

"And I believe that may happen, eventually," Avatar Roku insisted, "but before Azula can ask for anyone to change their ways about her... she will need to _change herself._ She must build her life around a new direction and go into this world as a young woman with careful potential."

Aang lingered towards the desk as he tried to conceive what Azula had decided to do. It seemed like a self-less act, in a way... but the boy couldn't help but think that his rescue had been more of a fool's errand... thinking it had been enough to let others see goodness in the Fire Nation princess. _But Roku's right, _Aang thought. _This was more than just a choice; it was a transformation that Azula had to make all on her own._

It was then that Roku gathered another few of his papers - ones that looked rather worn - into his hand and began to leaf through them. He looked over at Aang's nervous expression across the desk as he began to speak.

"It is no surprise to me that teachers have commented very highly of you this year... Mr. Mechanist almost ran out of space talking about your support for the Non-Benders," Roku said amusingly, turning over that particular scroll of parchment.

"Principal Roku, can I ask you something?"

Something else had been eating the boy's thoughts, and perhaps this was the best moment to bring it up.

Roku winced. "Of course, Aang."

Aang chose his words carefully, scratching the back of his left ear out of awkwardness.

"When Fire Lord Sozin betrayed you... did you ever give him a second chance?"

It took the principal about a second to let that question sink in, and he breathed softly before letting his full honesty present itself to the boy. His worn-out voice was all the more audible.

"I didn't. And that has been my biggest regret to this day."

Roku looked over his shoulder, to the window in his office that overlooked the Praying Mantis courtyard.

"It is why I commend you for giving his great-grandaughter a second chance yourself. When I realized what Sozin had attempted to plot over my own eyes... it was as if I had never even known him."

"He was your friend?"

"Yes, Aang. He was my best friend." Roku acknowledged, and Aang's skin jumped when he noticed the tears welling in the man's eyes. "And my responsibility as the Avatar had been pressured to such extremity at his betrayal, I felt _nothing _for him. I imprisoned Sozin...in hopes that the Fire Nation could rebuild peacefully among the world... but even then, I knew it was a lie. The problem had never truly been resolved."

Avatar Roku turned fully to the young boy as Aang found the courage to walk all the way around the table, as if looking out at the courtyard that slowly buzzed with mingling students.

"Hatred comes to us so easily, Aang," the man turned his head to the courtyard, as if pointing out a few familiar students he's had to deal with among the years. "As the Avatar... we must learn to see through it. The part of me that had wanted to Listen to Sozin and help him out of this obsession for power... was lost through my own selfishness. I made him out to be a life-long criminal, without hearing what he had to say."

A few seconds passed, and Aang could hear the laughter of the bustling courtyard almost filter in through the window. He remembered that first ruthless glance Azula had given him, back when she was only a face in the Earthbending fields.

"It's funny," the boy then remarked, pressing a hand to his temple. "The whole time she was threatening to hurt people_... _I didn't think about hurting Azula. Everyone _else _did, and even when she fought me, I _wanted to _hurt herfor everything she tried to do to Katara... to the airbenders... the non-benders..._ everyone._ _But I couldn't._"

He crossed his arms, uncomfortably, feeling his entire body fall a few degrees colder by the way he spoke his mind. He could barely look up at Roku again, but the man's calm and earnest eyes kept Aang at bay.

"That doesn't make you weak, Aang," Roku said almost in revelation. "It makes you wiser of an Avatar that I could ever become. Perhaps, deep down... you _knew _there was more to Azula's actions than others perceived."

The Avatar took another breath, and grinned.

"You found the true meaning of the human spirit... the ability to _understand, and forgive._"

Aang felt his heart drumming rhythmically, looking out into the courtyard to notice Toph pushing Teo's wheelchair sloppily along the fountain edge. "So... you really think that taking a break from school will make Azula a better person?" He wondered.

"I have no doubt." Roku smiled, perhaps relieved that the subject of his past had been set aside as they continued to overlook the courtyard. "When I approached prince Zuko at the clinic, he proposed the idea of being her travel guardian after he graduated... and I supported it. Those two had never really gotten along... and I believe this journey will change them for the better... for the future of the Fire Nation."

Aang gave a small sigh of contentment, glad to hear that two siblings would finally try to patch things up. And the young boy felt himself smile, as he looked through the window again and spotted Katara scurrying over to sit against the stone wall of the courtyard with Sokka.

Ruko caught that, and spoke with his worn-out voice amusingly. "You've touched many lives, Aang, and as far as Vice Principal Zhao told me in his own twisted sense... you seem to have made a name for yourself here, playing the hero."

"Vice Principal _Zhao _said that?"Aang winced, his eyes bolting in disbelief.

"Oh yes," Roku turned and gathered a few more of his papers on his desk. "His words were that I should send you back to the Air Temples immediately, before any of this glory goes to your little bald head."

Aang paused, but laughed as he nervously scratched the tattooed back of his neck.

"Not to worry," Roku reassured with a shake of his head. "He and I have long been due for an evaluation of his own principles, to see if he'll come to terms on my School's mission."

The boy nodded and replaced his arms at the side, feeling like a young man twice his age.

"Well, now that you have experienced half of the academic year, suffering through its entanglements of homework, and activities and heartache..." Roku laughed slightly while Aang tried to conceal his blushing cheeks. "... I wonder what the Avatar-in-Training has considered to do for his life-long devotion to this world."

"Um...I'm not sure," Aang said in a bashful way, shrugging his shoulders and trying to keep a blue-eyed girl out of his mind. "I _like _the idea about this school, Roku... but with everything that happened with Azula, I figured there's a lot of cultural things that people don't understand. Maybe with Katara's presidency next semester, people can start to appreciate diversity at Praying Mantis the _right _way, and I really want to keep that going."

Roku crossed his arms in approval, thinning his eyes towards the young apprentice.

"That sounds like a brilliant plan."

But as they both looked at the courtyard one last time, Aang noticed On Ji stepping out to sit with Kuzon on a stone bench, and the young boy's determined grin slightly faded.

_It hadn't really occurred to him before... how deeply he must have touched people's lives with only a semester into the school. Even with all that strife the people around him had gone through, Aang had desired things to stay still... just for a moment... to admire the lovely laughter in Katara's voice, or the rewarding feeling when Haru asked if he'd audition for his original spring play entitled "The life and times of a Cabbage Merchant," or even that double-take when Toph insisted that he teach her to climb a tree._

But the truth was things were never supposed to stay still. Life had to go on. He would eventually have to leave Praying Mantis High.

_It was why Aang couldn't help but feel guilty, in spite of his overwhelming sense of air-bending pride... that morning, when On Ji said she was going to leave after the Year-End dance._

* * *

"You think you can draw an entire collection by the end of the semester?"

"No," Mai said, but with a slight chuckle in her husky voice as Jet just rolled his eyes.

He had buckled his arms around her waist, sitting by her living room windowsill as they watched the moon part between two transparent clouds in the dark sky.

When her father had mentioned a business conference in Kyoshi Island, it took a small amount of convincing on Mai's part that she was not interested in tagging along on a trip with them this time around. She had seen her mother's questioning eyes more than once, believing this had something to do with that_ orphan boy _who seemed to be luring her only daughter into romance... but Mai didn't bother to argue.

In fact, she'd pretended to say that Jet was nothing _but _a poor, aimless wanderer who would never amount to anything... for the sake of gaining her parents' trust. And it nearly broke her.

By the time her parents had prepared themselves for the trip, Mai had asked them one last time if she could stay behind at the manor. No servants, no nanny... and she even said she wanted to try her hand at cooking a meal. It was when she offered to take care of her little brother Tom-Tom for the whole weekend that her father's eyebrows nearly bolted out like darts... but in the end, Mai's mother complied.

_How could she say no to a girl desiring to spend quality time with her baby brother?_

And Mai smiled, feeling a little bit more life under her skin as Jet held her tightly along the windowsill, thinking about Tom-Tom who had just a few moments ago fallen asleep on his crib. She didn't feel any remorse from this visit... and deep down in her heart, Mai hoped that someday her parents would see this boy as something _other_ than a poor orphan.

But for now... it would all have to be kept secret.

"All you have to do is say it." Jet murmured into the sweet strands of her hair, nuzzling at the crook of Mai's elegant neck.

She stirred, moving her chin towards Jet's shoulder as they cuddled.

"You're not asking me to that stupid dance, are you?" Mai said sarcastically.

But in her mind, she already knew he was requesting something else... and she felt her body tremble from a certain power he was breathlessly handing over to her.

"I don't have to go to Ba Sing Se yet... Not really," the boy whispered, and burrowed his face further into the strands of Mai's scalp. His voice was shaking as he felt his own heart melt from what he was saying out loud. "Tell me to stay, and I'll do it."

Mai still kept their bodies close, caressing the boy's hands she moved her body slightly around to look him in the eyes. She took a deep breath and took in light scent of pine along the boy's hair, trying to let Jet's words filter into the reasoning of her mind.

It frightened her, the way he spoke so willingly.

"Jet..." the girl fished for words carefully. "I know you'd stay here for me, but what is it that you_ want_?"

She listened to the boy's tender heartbeats from the small caressing she gave to his neck, and Jet sighed for a moment before speaking again. He slowly parted from her by a few inches to talk to her respectfully. And the boy stumbled in his breath as he looked once again at Mai, realizing that leaving her would be like sacrificing his greatest wish... all for the sake of progress.

"I want to be with you, Mai." Jet spoke to her without any sort of hesitation. Or pride. "I don't care about stupid plans, and if I don't find a job in the city right away... that's fine! I can get by at the orphanage for another year; it won't be forever."

Her copper eyes shifted equivocally as she studied her boyfriend's calm demeanor, listening to those words that were coming out of him from a very deep place in his heart. She was about to say something, but Jet added something else.

"Mai, listen to me...." the boy spoke calmly, taking one of her hands. "I fell in love with you the moment I saw you draw, and I couldn't even_ talk _to you. Now that we're _here_, I..."

She looked elsewhere. Tears had welled in her eyes that hid under her dark bangs, but the boy carefully parted them with a hand to see her more directly.

_It was amazing to her how, in spite of what he said -- how _terrifying _it must've felt to confess this devotion to someone else -- the boy was not afraid to smile. _

"I gave up my freedom once," he added then, "for my little brother, so I could take care of him... and I don't regret it Mai. Not for a second. And I definitely won't regret giving it up for you."

"Jet, I..."

This was suddenly becoming too much, and her eyes lingered towards the open window.

"I care about you, too, but..." She finally managed to bring herself back to hime. "This is _insane_. There's nothing else for you to do here."

"Oh come on," the boy gave her a sarcastic look of disbelief, with a grin. "I can still help with the new Oak Tree kids, and chaperone the Duke at his camping trips, and of course be with y--"

"But is that _really_ what you want for yourself?" Mai challenged him, in a slightly worrisome voice. She placed a hand on his forearm for comfort, tears of doubt and guilt finally beginning to glimmer in her eyes. "It's an honor that you get to graduate early... and you have job interviews coming up. I still have school... _my art portfolio_...we'll be so busy."

"No we won't, Mai," Jet suggested, but only half-believing it by the amount of stress they'd both gone through that semester. However, his brown eyes still brought a hint of sincerity as he stared at her. "Why should we break up over some stupid plans?"

Jet moved back and brought a hand over to one of the girl's cheeks, seeing her eyes slowly begin to glimmer as he spoke again to her, with all of his kindness pouring through his lips.

"I don't know about _you_, Sharpy, but _I'm_ willing to give us a try."

Mai looked at him in a puzzled gaze, wondering if there was something else he'd forgotten to mention to her... like how much he desired to be a combat trainer in Ba Sing Se and start building that reputation for his adult life. She studied the boy in front of her, the young wrinkles that were making up his forehead... seeing how much he was struggling to remain care-free, not realizing that there was a bigger _world _he needed to understand.

"What do you think?" Jet finally asked her quietly.

The Earth-dweller could see a certain fear in his girlfriend's eyes, which was extremely rare even in these circumstances. He knew something was bothering her.

Patience always seemed to come naturally between them, but Mai closed her eyes to gather her thoughts with ease.

_It was then that she remembered her first love– or crush, rather. Something that had started as an imperative plan through her own parents... by which she had eventually grown to accept by the warm endurance of Prince Zuko. _

_She remembered how her parents had long talked about the idea of gaining more status... even royal blood... by simply placing their only girl into the right school and social circle. They would talk about this as if she were not even present in the dinner table... saying how befriending the young princess Azula would give their daughter complete access to the young Prince's affections... discussing the idea of her becoming Fire Lady someday. _

_A future member of the royal family of the Fire Nation. _

_Of course, for the sake of arguments and apathy, this girl followed along with those ridiculous schemes... coping with an incredibly spoiled prodigy in order to remain close to a prince. _

_But she had not expected to fall for him. And the strange thing was... she did not know why she did, either. It was amazing how much she grew to adore him, even after the unseen brutality that gave him his scar. _

_She had stayed close to Zuko by the greatest amount of imagination, and the pressure she had been given to place her eyes on him for a long time. She believed that they would last._

And yet... as Mai looked back at it now, they were an unhealthy match... perhaps kept for desperation on her part, because of a certain forced belief that Zuko was the man she was always _supposed _to marry. It was all planned out like that, wasn't it? And letting go of those plans had nearly crushed the girl's spirit from its hollow shell.

_Things were never supposed to be certain. _

She had learned that the hard way... remembering the strange, almost foreign coldness of tears that ran down her cheeks on the day she forced herself to put those plans to rest.

Mai pondered all this inside the web of her memories with Zuko. There was no doubt in her mind that Jet was different... persevering through the ridiculous and the unthinkable to make a girl like her have the faintest of smiles. Funny, how she how once despised this boy's care-free nature, and here she was, now... practically longing to live within that scent of pine that came from his hair. Jet had been so determined to help her break free from her emptiness... and perhaps somewhere along the way, Mai was supposed to thank him.

_Instead, in all of its mysterious splendor, she had fallen in love with him. _

But seeing this wonderful Earth-dweller plead for her to say what she felt, now... it was almost like she saw that foolish, love-struck little self again... _wanting nothing but to hold hands with the Fire Nation prince_. She saw the adventuresome Jet falling into an dark well of sacrifices and plans... all for the sake of keeping an uncertain dream alive between them. Mai could not bear to see him go through that kind of painful expectation.

After a moment's breath, the girl spoke her feelings in a bold-yet-shaking voice.

"Jet... I want you to stop holding yourself back for others."

Mai closed her eyes, knowing that her words must have caught the boy by surprise, and knowing they must have summoned a reluctant truth in him. She kept caressing her boyfriend's back in comfort, reassuring him that she meant well.

"We can still work, you know," she continued to speak in her husky voice, "but you need to move on. _Go make a name for yourself out there_."

Her eyes thinned from the honesty she felt in her voice, making her more at peace with Jet.

He kept his gaze, but his face fell into a saddened expression... as if she said exactly what he had been dreading to hear. Jet knew if he did stay, he would be missing out on opportunities. Ba Sing Se's competitive job market would not wait around for him, and hearing Mai acknowledge his passions openly brought a deep sense of understanding.

Somewhere during those few months... the young woman got to know that part of him so well... and Mai smiled at him right then, saying as if a part of her would be missing when he left.

"Okay," he said almost in a whisper, his eyes beginning to show a hint of trembling peace.

"I'm not saying it's going to be easy," she said kindly, now resting her head onto Jet's shoulder sweetly, taking in the scent of him again.

Jet responded with a nod, bringing an arm out to wrap around Mai's delicate waist for a hug. "I'll sure miss that annoying, sarcastic voice of yours."

Mai couldn't help but smile, "Idiot...."

The boy chuckled softly, and responded to her simply by brushing his cheek alongside her shoulder as they hugged tightly.

After a few moments, Mai took a breath and parted once again, revealing a thin line of tears that had streamed in each of her cheeks. Jet carefully brought a hand to one of them, rubbing the mark away with a thumb and grinning all the more. They gazed, chuckling foolishly as they always did in these moments... and Mai quickly moved to get up from the windowsill.

"I should go check on my brother," she murmured.

"Here, I'll go with you."

Mai smiled, seeing the boy's nurturing instincts come up without warning.

The two walked quietly over to the infant's bedchamber on the western wing, Mai holding up a small candlelight for useful guidance. Tom-Tom was sleeping dreamily in his cradle, sounding out little '_coo_'s under his giggles that Mai couldn't help but be amused over. Such little innocent sounds, it almost seemed that mischievous little critter that awoke in the morning was someone entirely different.

She wasn't sure why she felt so wholesome, watching her little brother sleep peacefully. Maybe it was because Jet was standing there next to her, smiling... or the fact that (for the first time) she imagined herself becoming a mother, feeling the warmth of Jet's hand bring her imagination into further development.

Mai shook her mind in amusement, imagining Jet as a father...her husband?... but the thoughts seemed so absurd and fragile to the fifteen-year-old, it fell out of reach after a moment, leaving her only with a foolish grin. Nevertheless, she let her fingers entwine with Jet's as they continued to hold hands in the dimness of Tom-Tom's room.

The two of them didn't say a word as they watched the little boy sleep, and as they decided to leave the room, another long thought was brewing inside Mai's head... like an inner struggle.

"It's getting late." Jet said, breaking the silence. "I better start heading out---"

But he didn't have time to finish that statement, or that plan.

Mai had carefully taken his hands and slowly brought her eyes to meet his. Jet blinked at the sudden intensity of her movement. There was a deep, inquisitive look about her, how those thin copper eyes seemed to be glistening more brilliantly than ever... but also with nervousness.

Jet wasn't sure if he'd seen that look before, but his memories were sinking so deeply, he could barely think straight.

Her hands held Jet's tightly as she gazed at him hopefully, fearlessly... and the boy knew what she was trying to tell him. His voice quivered.

"Mai... I... are you sure...?"

"Shhh..." she said softly to him, with a small finger touching his lips. It left the boy speechless.

And with the most tranquil pace in the world, she slowly led him into her bedchamber, taking each step backwards one-by-one and keeping her eyes locked with his. Jet gazed at her as if in a trance... building up a determination to go with what her feelings were telling her to do.

Jet did not want to push her into anything, either... but the intensity in her eyes almost cleared his mind completely... telling him that she would be alright. That _they _would be alright. With those small footsteps towards her dark room, Mai led her boyfriend into the most personal space she had... raising her chin to say "stay with me" as a small kiss met him lips.

And the boy kissed her back, ever so gently.

It wasn't long before the two had their arms wrapped around each other's bare, beautiful skin... enduring parts of themselves they had barely explored before.

Seconds became hours, and with each nervous breath they shared, it unfolded a new stage to their closeness by the dim moonlight that filtered through Mai's window. And as Jet carefully laid his girlfriend to bed, he untied the dual hairbuns from her scalp and let the silky strands hang down her body like a curtain.

Jet gazed at the copper eyes of a girl who tenderly brushed his hair with fingertips, and he stirred nervously, his hands slowly rediscovering the softness of Mai. After a few moments admiring each other's face... it seemed that their trust was finally sealed with another kiss.

A kiss that would soon become deeper... composing a chorus of precious "I love you"s between heavy breaths, sending their young hearts into oblivion.

* * *

**A/N - yep, the last chapter was a short one, but I feel it did its job: a Dumbledore/Harry moment with Roku and Aang (and yeah, I totally intended it to start like scene with Gyatso in chapter 1)... and MaiJet! I'll be concluding this series with a juicy Year-End dance epilogue, which will involve fun dance-offs, sad good-byes, and maybe a passionate kiss... maybe. ^^ Thanks to my regular readers out there. It's hard to believe it's almost over;** **I might cry a little... --MM**


	34. EPILOGUE: the Dance

He'd been sitting near the stage ledge, drinking water and mentally preparing himself for the long night of music, when Katara chose to finally talk to him.

She had not seen Song arrive for the dance just yet, but she could tell that Zuko would need all the help in the world so as to not look like a nervous wreck. Days earlier, she'd helped the young prince pick out a nice tuxedo from the ancient royal Fire Nation quarters... one that could show off the passionate color of his Nation as well as the necessary formality of a school rock band.

It turned out to be a silky wine-colored shirt over an edgy black tuxedo... and it made Zuko look more like a seductive _flamenco _dancer than a any sort of drummer.

"I'm a bleeding Arctic penguin," was the first thing he murmured when Katara approached him, but the tranquility of her blue dress kept him from saying anything else. She ignored him, anyway.

"Will you please quit complaining about that?" she snapped teasingly. "You're _a Fire Nation prince_. You're supposed to look hot."

"_Katara--_"

She laughed, immediately shutting herself up while more of the band-members showed up in the same attire. Zuko shook his head in dismay, as if trying to remember why he'd decided to be friends with this girl in the first place. But a small, reassuring smile from him let Katara know that she indeed had made all the difference to him that year.

"I'm glad to see you decided to come tonight," the girl said honestly, adjusting her dress to lean against the stage with Zuko. "I can't imagine it being easy... after what happened with Azula."

Zuko nodded. "No, I wanted to come tonight no matter what. It's probably the last chance I'll ever have to act like someone _my age_."

The waterbender smirked, acknowledging the same black hair that hid her friend's copper eyes and concluding there would always be a bit of _mystery _about Zuko. But somehow... she preferred it that way.

"Are you excited about your plans next year?" she then brought up.

"It's more for my sister," Zuko rasped simply. "I'm just coming along to make sure she's okay."

Katara mentally shook her head, knowing that the close proximity of band-members were probably keeping Zuko from going any deeper with this conversation. She managed to keep it going, anyway.

"Maybe this will be good for the both of you, and you'll be able to get along again."

Zuko gave a small chuckle, looking over to her strangely. "Don't you ever get tired of being this optimistic?"

She punched him on the arm. "_Anyway, _I think it was brilliant idea. When do you leave?"

"In a couple days. My mother's making all these plans for my graduation ceremony before Azula and I take off. It's going to be at the Fire Nation palace... _Agni_ knows I can't stop my mom from making it a big deal. It's open to anyone; you're welcome to come if you want."

Katara laughed. "Does it require a date?"

It took a small pause from his end, but Zuko's cheeks blushed in color, and he shook his head embarrassingly.

"Okay," she said, and as the girl noticed at the main entrance ahead, seeing the faintest silhouette of a familiar boy with a bald head and a blue arrow, walking with Toph and Teo to the school dance entrance. Katara's heart beat rapidly with delight.

_Perhaps, _she thought, _a date to Zuko's graduation ceremony wouldn't be a terrible thing at all._

"If you wait any longer, he might get suspicious..." Zuko teased in his raspy voice, noticing the odd look on Aang's face, and Katara chuckled musically.

"Save a dance for me?" was the last thing she said while getting up, and Zuko just grinned in disbelief... watching her run off to meet her date.

* * *

It was like time had abruptly frozen to a stop, the moment he saw her running to the entrance.

Katara was flaunting the dazzling blue of her eyes in an elegant halter-top dress, just like she said she'd be wearing. Her wavy-brown hair hung down to the waist, and as she moved a hair-loop to finally meet Aang's face in the distance... it took a small push from Toph to keep him walking.

"You're not gonna faint on her again, are you?"

Teo couldn't help but bring that embarrassing scenario again, and Aang flinched.

"Wait... you _knew _about that?" Aang saw himself blushing even in the utter moonlight.

Toph snorted a laugh, adjusting the glass-bead bracelet on her wrist while she kept pushing Teo's wheelchair courteously. "It's not like people confess their undying love to Sugar Queen _every day_ here, Twinkle Toes."

A small jab to his arm was Toph's final bit of encouragement, she and Teo went off towards the school dance entrance. The only thing on Aang's mind was the young waterbender, still, noticing how she kept her smile to Aang's face while she carefully walked over to him.

Other people had shown up, walking gracefully past Katara and Aang as they awkwardly stared at each other. Seconds seemed to stretch into minutes, standing face to face, neither of them sure who should speak first... and oblivious about the time passing by.

"You look..." Aang felt his heart pounding harshly, as if it were blocking his vocal chords. He tried to keep his eyes from darting all over Katara's formal attire, but he couldn't stop. "You look amazing–ly... um... _great_... tonight."

Katara giggled, bashfully touching her mother's necklace. "Thanks, Aang."

She offered him a hand, and the two walked arm-in-arm into the Praying Mantis High School's Year-End dance... with Aang feeling like he had never gotten off of Appa.

* * *

"You look beautiful."

Smellerbee winced, turning her head to see her dance partner hide a rare grin as they both found empty seats encircling the Praying Mantis gym. The scrawney girl just rolled her eyes, pursing her lips so as to not feel so foolish... wearing an undulatory red dress that accentuated curves to her figure.

If it weren't for this year's ballroom theme, Smellerbee would've gladly traded the dress for her regular baggy pants to win the usual Year-End dance competition. Longshot kept his grin, guiding her to a seat and determined to act more gentleman-like for that evening... regardless of the faces Bee would shoot at him.

But then, she saw Mai walk into the room, looking quite uncomfortable in a silky black halter top and matching dress pants... and Smellerbee sighed, feeling somewhat better that she wasn't the only one feeling uncomfortable tonight.

Jet had strolled in afterwards, wearing a formal tuxedo with his usual messy hair, and girls turned heads as they noticed the Earth-dweller place a hand promisingly around Mai's waist. Girls gaped even more when they realized that Mai was laughing softly at the boy's gesture. Ty Lee caught that connection like a rat-viper, and she jumped out of her seat and skipped with her ballerina gown over to Mai, practically pulling the girl's arm to sit next to her.

More people started filling up the seats, Jet amusingly letting Mai go with Ty Lee to probably dish out on boy-related secrets. The Earth-dweller easily found Pipsqueak among the incoming crowd, and started talking to him and his environment-loving girl, Jin. She gave Haru a high-five greeting the moment they passed by each other, and the _Omashu _director found sanctuary among the faces of Toph and a few other Earth-bending football classmates.

"What's with the gloomy faces, boys?" Coach Bumi made his presence known with a snort. "_Come on... _go win some girls' hearts tonight!"

He held his smile wide, snorting and giving casual-but-brutal high fives to any young student who looked like he needed a confidence boost. Even though chaperones didn't need to acquire dates, the school herbalist quietly appeared at Bumi's side for comfort among this very adolescent crowd. She'd even brought her cat, Miyuki, along on a leash... and many girls came over to pet it.

Yue had shown up by herself, elegantly and gracefully, with a beautiful snowy-white dress that looked like she'd come down from the heavens... or like she was expecting a wedding proposal at any moment. And right behind her came Sokka, stumbling almost in his own foot had it not been for Suki holding onto his arm steadily.

Many of the girls had put on their ethnic Kyoshi make-up and garb, and Sokka had decided to show his loyalty as a warrior by placing his own honorable Southern Water tribal make-up for the dance. It looked rather ridiculous... since he was the only boy present who'd decided to wear make-up that night... but Suki didn't seem to mind it at all.

The only girl who taken a break from the Kyoshi make-up was Suganya. She came in with Xai, Loung, and Brei An as a fearsome foursome among the crowd, bringing in garb that nobody in the school had ever seen before. People glanced at them strangely, seeing the colors in their fabric that were no different from their respective nations' tribal blues and earth tones. But the way they wore those fabrics... so loosely like cosmopolitan monk robes, was definitely something to behold. And as Xai stepped into the lights of the dance room, people realized that his head was sporting a new mark: a blue arrow hand-painted as a replica to the Avatar-in-Training's own genuine tattoo. Looking closely at the foreheads of the other three students, people discovered the same blue marks on Loung, Brei An, and Suganya proudly.

Apparently, the young boy had taught them well... and Aang looked over at them with so much hope in his eyes. He almost couldn't help the tears forming in his eyes, trying to contain himself in front of Katara as she watched the airbenders enter as well.

Zuko appeared from the back entrance, along with Lu Ten and a few other people carrying musical instruments and equipment. Song had also offered to help the band's set-up, and she did so as gracefully as she could wearing a lovely green _hanbok._

It was when his cousin, Lu Ten, came onto the stage with a guitar strapped over his back... that it seemed like a powerful aura had made its way into the crowd, because everyone (even the chaperones) paid their respects with a bow to the future Fire Lord. He courteously waved a 'hello' to the crowd, many girls cheering by the assurance that this musical entertainment for the night would be a great one.

"Hey guys," Lu Ten grinned with his trimmed dark goatee, setting his guitar on the stage and addressing the crowd. "The band and I have a real treat tonight: the future Fire Lady Jun is singing the lead vocals."

Katara noticed Zuko roll his eyes onstage, the only one not "_awww_"ing with the rest of the crowd... and the girl couldn't help but laugh quietly. Aang gave her an odd look, but Katara left it at that.

"The first thing up for the night is the Praying Mantis dance competition... and this year's theme goes to the Fire Nation!" Lu Ten started jamming on his guitar, cuing his band-mates and Zuko to follow accordingly. _"Get ready to salsa!_"

Music soon erupted and people easily began to move into the sound of Lu Ten's guitar. An olive-skinned girl with a hummingbird tattoo on her neck played the trumpet, while a boy sporting a longer version of Loung's dreadlocks jammed on a keyboard.

As the young future Fire Lord sang his heart out to the crowd, people stepped up to the dance floor in pairs, one by one. Ms. Ursa even got escorted by her own grandfather, Principal Roku in a casual dance... perhaps to demonstrate the proper movements of salsa to the amateurs. But Smellerbee and Longshot didn't need a demonstration, stepping into the center of that circle like it had been reserved for them. Jet took the liberty of rescuing Mai from Ty Lee's giggling demeanor and brought her out to the salsa floor.

"I saw this dance before, at the Fire Nation palace!" Katara exclaimed happily towards Aang, taking both his hands immediately. "It's really simple, just try and follow my lead."

"Okay... but I can't promise I won't step on your feet," Aang teased bashfully, letting the girl teach him to dance in the smallest of hip movements. Katara giggled between her 'step fronts' and 'backs' and the boy couldn't help but feel so much at home.

Zuko tapped on a pair of ethnic bongo drums, concentrating so fiercely, he could barely catch a sight of his Uncle as he stepped up to sing along with Lu Ten. Song was blushing near the back of the stage, even more when Uncle invited her up to play the tambourine near Zuko.

Suki dragged Sokka out boldly for the competition, and keeping a small smile, the young Watertribesman attempted to copy the gracefulness of Jet's feet with every step he took. Pipsqueak brought out Jin like a giant gentleman, teaching her the basic footwork the same way Katara was teaching Aang. The pairs were forming with every beat of Zuko's drum on the stage. Even Yue had found a brief partner in Haru, her soft-spoken voice asking him if he knew the steps to _salsa._ Toph and Teo made up some steps of their own, boogieing and laughing to the rhythm as Haru stepped out with Yue.

Smellerbee and Longshot owned the dance floor easily, with the tall archer giving his girl a graceful whirl of her dress every so often. Her short, frizzy hair would whip out in all directions as the boy turned her, taking a breath right before Longshot would lift her up to his frame for a transitional move.

"Aang, she's here," Katara whispered. The boy turned his head.

Lights were dimming more and more, as it was clear that judging was about to begin... and just as Brei An and Loung entered the dance floor... two more figures came in from the entrance.

One was Ms. Ursa, taking her part in chaperoning the school dance in her usual ruby red robes. The other... who seemed to be hiding the brilliance of her copper eyes... was Azula, and the first thing people noticed was a pair of black velvet gloves.

Gloves that seemed to be more a part of her than the red silky dress she was wearing.

Aang watched her enter the room like she'd been entering someone's funeral very late... pretending to not catch eyes with anyone as she found an empty seat near the refreshments table. Zuko had noticed his mother come in and prepare herself for judging the dance, and he caught a glimpse of his sister sadly sitting alone.

"Someone should ask her to dance," Aang couldn't help but whisper to Katara, seeing the estranged faces people were giving Azula.

"Well... Chan's not exactly here tonight," the waterbender mentioned, looking around. "And I don't think he wants anything to _do_ with her, anyway."

"I have an idea," Aang paused for a second, studying Katara's face. "Would you mind if I asked her to dance with me? Just this once, I promise."

Katara couldn't fight the blush in her cheeks, but then yielded her dance steps, and planted a small kiss on Aang's arrow tattoo. The boy laughed bashfully, quickly running over to cheer the once-vicious Fire Nation princess out of her miserable state. As Katara watched him bravely lend out a hand for Azula, getting her up from her chair and taking her towards the dance circle for salsa competition... the waterbender smiled from the sidelines.

Words couldn't express how lucky she felt, having such a noble kid as her date.

Azula didn't say anything, almost repressed of emotion as Aang maintained his cheerful grin towards someone who needed so much support at that moment. To be angry at her didn't seem like an option anymore. To befriend her... well... was her choice, frankly.

Carefully, the young princess stepped into the basic salsa, without looking at Aang's encouraging eyes and the hands that held themselves in front of her. She noticed Mai and Jet dancing lovingly at the corner of the circle, and those two other Oak Tree dwellers who danced like their spirits had met in a past life. Her stomach floated as if it were empty... numb, but Aang persisted in helping a girl smile.

Katara watched the Avatar-in-Training at work, her eyes glistening.

And then the _salsa_ rhythm picked up by the sound of Lu Ten's guitar, Iroh's enthusiastic and off-key vocals, and Zuko's intensive drumming. It was like something had ticked inside Azula's mind... something from long ago... perhaps when she was no older than five and believed the whole world revolved around music and movements. She felt herself stepping gracefully against Aang, taking the lead as he still held her hands.

One thunderous jolt of the drums were all Azula needed, and she breathed life back into her empty stomach... letting the elegance of her red silk dress show itself off in a turn. Aang followed along, making his own air-bending turn in the air to balance out the intensity.

"Go Aang!" one of the airbenders cried out within the music, and people started clapping for that strange pair... which seemed more enforced by Azula's lead.

The dance competition was still happening, and however acrobatic Azula and Aang were making themselves be... they were clearly drawing away from the _salsa_. And Coach Hama tapped the princess on the shoulder to get them out of the dim-lighted circle, but Aang didn't mind... because Azula was revealing the first genuine smile in a very long time.

It was scaring a few dancers out of their concentration.

But Azula still hadn't said anything to Aang, then. Her copper eyes moved slowly to meet his shimmering silver, and all she could do was just glance at him oddly, letting her smile fade in embarrassment.

"You're welcome," the boy said comically, childishly. Azula just sulked in her usual manner... running off towards Ty Lee's chair to attempt her first reconciliation.

Before Aang could laugh away the awkwardness of that dance... Katara had run to the boy with open arms, hugging him almost too tightly to breathe and saying '_Aang, that was incredible!_'

All he could do was hug her back, watching the endurant silhouettes of Longshot and Smellerbee salsa dance in the center of the circle. His mind was caught off-guard, his heartbeat still racing from the recent dance... Aang barely registered the lips that were suddenly touching his so gently. He almost choked after a second of consciousness, and Katara eyes winced back open, parting from him immediately.

She couldn't hide the pink of her cheeks, looking away. "I– I don't know why I did that."

"Katara–?" he urged softly, confused. Curious.

But the song had ended, and both of their heads turned to watch Principle Roku describe the astounding performance of Smellerbee and Longshot in the salsa dance competition, presenting them with a pair of deserving gold pendants that rested on a tiny velvet pillow.

People clapped, Sokka cheering like a ridiculous maniac through his glistening Watertribe make-up, while Suki glanced at him oddly. Katara's face looked apprehensive, almost sad... but she managed to clap along with the crowd and get her mind off of what she'd abruptly done.

And while Aang clapped as well, pretending to not have felt such a sweet kiss a few seconds earlier... he noticed a new figure mingling with the airbending group. She was petite, with jaw-length hair and a blue arrow painting delicately beneath her bangs. And she wore radiant Fire Nation red airbending robes.

The boy had never been so happy to see On Ji.

* * *

Minutes later, while the music continued to play casually from Lu Ten's band... Aang found himself among his faithful airbenders. They talked about the _Agni_ arena, about each other's brilliantly-authentic airbending wardrobe, and how they couldn't thank Brei An enough for teaching them how to sew the pieces. They talked about perhaps finishing the Year-End dance with a proper demonstration of air-tumbling and twirling for the students who despise gravity.

And then something inside the boy urged him to lead his friends to the Oak Tree clan, congratulating Smellerbee and Longshot personally about their winning pendants. Aang couldn't remember if he had ever introduced these two groups of people, in spite of the fact that they had faced so much turmoil this year. Jet was too enamoured by Mai to let go and shake the airbenders' hands, but Pipsqueak instantly took a liking to Loung's dreadlocks and pulled on one just to see if it was real.

It seemed that after that kiss... Katara's mind had suddenly gotten too preoccupied with things... going off to find Mr. Pakku to discuss next semester's events and activities to promote her new title as Student Class President.

Aang tried to ignore her abrupt behavior, but she kept moving towards other people in the crowd like Sokka and Toph... even talking to Haru about his one-man show, for the sake of having him speak so passionately for a few minutes. The young airbender remained patient, trying to think nothing of it... but he knew it was just a matter of time before the band would take a break... before Katara would take that chance and speak to Zuko.

"Can I talk to you for a second?" On Ji then said softly to Aang's side, while the airbenders and Oak Tree clan commenced a strong, friendly debate about gravity and its influences with dance.

The two friends quietly led each other out of the dance room, taking in the nice air that surrounded from one of the school hallways. Aang had not admired On Ji's arrow tattoo until then, when he noticed the little spiral designs that encompassed its brilliant blue.

She quietly murmured an "I'm sorry" while the two of them stared down at the courtyard's fountain, the same way they'd done so months before. Aang almost didn't know what she was talking about, but he studied the uncertainty in On Ji's face... and assured to himself it had _nothing _to do with Katara.

"On Ji, you don't have to be sorry for anything." He exclaimed, leaning against the locker-room wall. "This was your choice."

"I know, but I should've told you sooner," On Ji bravely let her brown eyes find Aang's face against the small light that came from the side entrance. "But I had a lot on my mind. After we... _rescued_... Azula, you won't believe who showed up to apologize to me."

"Who?"

"Hide."

Aang blinked, now bringing his fullest attention to his friend and away from Katara. He couldn't recall having seen Hide cause anymore fits those last few days of the semester, after Azula had willingly put an end to the bullying. He listened while On Ji continued to speak.

"He told me there was no excuse for everything he did this year, and he said I shouldn't be ashamed for being an airbender." On Ji's face had stiffened, and her hands closed themselves into her robes as if cold. "I saw tears in his eyes, Aang."

Aang gulped, trying to think clearly. "Did you forgive him?"

On Ji paused for a moment, taking in the music from Iroh's violin that came from the vicinity.

"Yes..." the word came softly, and the girl looked at her friend square in the eye, "....but_ nobody_ can forget something like that. Hide wasn't messed up; he had a choice the _whole time _he was on Azula's side, but he didn't act on it. I don't think I can ever see him differently."

"It's okay, On Ji." Aang planted a firm hand on her shoulder. "Nobody's asking you to like him again, and that doesn't make you a bad person."

On Ji breathed, the way she always did when something was difficult to grasp.

"He's transferring to the Fire Nation Military Academy next semester," she then stated matter-of-factly. "He said it might be a better fit for him."

Aang moved to study On Ji's wondering face. "Is that what got you to thinking about the Temple?"

She nodded.

"When my parents came to see the _OmaShu _performance, they said they'd never seen me dance with so much passion. They finally seemed to understand how important dancing is to me, too, because that was when they brought up that intensive dance program at the Western Air Temple."

Aang tilted his head, finally understanding On Ji's thought process to this difficult choice.

"This could be the best chance I have to perfect my air-dancing, and work my way to become a _master_," the young girl's eyes seemed to smile on their own. Aang couldn't deny that.

"On Ji, you should go for it," he said simply. "Don't stop yourself just because people are asking you to stay."

She looked off towards the particular group of Drama Club kids mingling in the dance.

"Kuzon's not making this easy."

"He'll understand; if he really likes you, he knows it won't be forever." Aang felt a small shiver go down his neck as he looked at On Ji's sad but hopeful face. "I'm definitely gonna miss you next year, though."

On Ji smiled hopefully, throwing her arms finally around his shoulders, and Aang managed to laugh, hugging her tightly as well.

"Thanks for everything," she then said with the boldest strength of her heart. "I promise, I'll write to all of you as much as I can."

And the boy smiled, knowing it wouldn't be the same without On Ji among the small group of airbenders next semester. But he breathed carefully, holding her like the little sister he never had right before they parted.

"Don't be afraid," On Ji whispered. "Go get her."

* * *

The second half was about to commence, and Zuko and the other members of the band were warming up onstage for the freestyle-dance portion of the night. A new figure had shown up to the stage next to Lu Ten, her raven black hair hiding an eye, and one of her arms sporting a tattoo of a spiraled Komodo dragon. Aang already guessed she must have been Jun, and watching her affectionately part her hair to kiss Lu Ten on the cheek almost made the boy jealously fish for Katara's face in the crowd.

He found On Ji happily joining Kuzon under the arm and heading to the dance floor, and he finally caught sight of Katara... going out to sit on one of the stone steps in the courtyard... as if not ready to face the crowded Year-End dance yet. Her eyes were closed, as if she were taking a moment to breathe the cold, refreshing air around her.

Aang knew it could be now or never... and while the lights dimmed and Jun's voice began to sing a lovely slow-dance number... the boy's legs took him forward.

"Hey Katara."

The lovely, withdrawn waterbender turned slightly and noticed the familiar bare feet of Aang, looking up then to see him fully. She wiped a side of her face, as if she'd been crying.

"Oh... Aang, I..." the glistening in her eyes were still present by the light that filtered through the entrance door, and it seemed to dance all along her face. Katara brushed her dress with her hands, about to get up. "I was just about to go and find you."

"It's okay... it's actually much cooler out here," The boy nervously set himself down on the grass beside Katara, silently suggesting that she stay put. "You alright?"

The girl sighed, nervously playing a bit of her hair as she focused on Aang's arrow tattoo.

Her voice quivered for the first time since she'd spoken about her mother. "I don't know, Aang."

"What's the matter?"

"It's just that this whole semester's gone by _so quickly_, I've barely been able to think..." Katara looked out into the darkened courtyard to let her thoughts flow. "...and for once, I just want things to stay the _same._"

"But Katara, you worked so _hard_ to win this election." Aang's throat almost went dry. "_Are you saying you want to back down?_"

"_No!_" the girl's blue eyes. "No... it's just that, everyone's going to expect so much from me. It was so much easier when the pressure was off... _I got to know Zuko that way._ But now it's like I'm being _forced _to make a difference."

The young airbender snorted amusingly, but with absolute understanding. "Welcome to my world," he said teasingly, "Are you just scared that you won't be able to please everybody?"

Katara nodded, gazing down at the boy with an upset pair of eyebrows. "How do you do it, Aang? Helping people seems to come so naturally for you."

He shrugged against the entrance light, massaging one of his shoulders with a hand. "To tell you the truth... I _never_ wanted to be the Avatar. _No one _at the Air Temple did, because they knew it would be nothing but _work_ and _responsibilities for the rest of your life. _ When they told me I was the new Avatar-in-Training... I was scared I'd never be able to have fun again."

Aang paused, gazing at Katara intrigued face as the outside wind brushed through her hair.

"But... after coming here, I learned that being the Avatar will get me to understand people for who they are, and it will help me step out of my comfort zone. I once didn't think I'd be able to survive outside of the Southern Air Temple." Aang smiled, continuing to speak more casually. "Helping people isn't supposed to be a burden; it's more like... a sense of _service _to the world. It's an adventure!"

Katara sighed. "But how do you do it without going crazy?"

The boy laughed, his inner child returning briefly in his voice. "The trick is to give some time for_ yourself_."

She felt her cheeks blush suddenly, and it brought her face into a smile. As she heard the edgy voice of Jun sing a more fast-paced song on the stage... Katara started to speak from her heart.

"_I think that's why I was so scared when I kissed you_," her eyes glimmered. _"It was the first time I'd done something for myself in a long time._"

It took a while -- with Aang feeling like all of his muscles had momentarily fallen numb – but the boy then let a playful smile come into existence. Bravely, he move one of his hands to rest on one of Katara's.

The girl flinched, as if a spark had flown... but they both laughed it casually away, hearing the music continue to jam behind them.

"Listen, this might be the last chance we get to talk before school starts again..." Aang then started. "And there's something I've been meaning to say to you."

She grinned, letting her cheeks blush again. "Actually, you already did... Remember?"

"Oh, yeah..." Aang did his best to let his thoughts keep coming into words, doing the best he could to tighten his stomach courageously. "... but it's not just_ that._"

Katara's elegant blue eyes locked with his, curiously and heart-warmingly.

"You keep telling me_ I'm _an amazing person and everything... but Katara, I... couldn't have done any of this without you."

"Aang, what're you talking about?" The girl felt her frame move forward, concerned but intrigued. Her hand was wrapping around Aang's fingers, practically cutting off the boy's circulation as he tried to continue speaking his mind.

"I... I know it sounds _stupid_... but that first day, when you helped me find the attendance office... nobody had been that nice to me before. I remember every single detail... How you went out of your way to help a lost little kid like me."

Katara's mind winced, feeling like that word 'kid' didn't seem to fit anymore._ What was happening? _She thought about the things Zuko had said, about a young boy's heart becoming so strong, and so _vulnerable_ at the same time... and how she may have been the source.

"You were the one who pushed me to talk to On Ji, and meet the airbenders... you pushed me_ so hard _to make something of myself at this school. You never gave up on me, Katara. And... and I just wanted to say... _um..._"

But Aang's 'thank you' was cut short with another kiss. But it had come slower, with a stroke of Katara's hand at his cheek, involuntarily bringing Aang's face closer to her own until there was no longer any space between them.

Softly, and so willingly... those lips made the boy's world shrink from the vast complexities of Avatar training all to a single solitary moment. More music was heard in the background, people were dancing and laughing, but for Aang, everything had become so soft and still.

The next moment, when he opened his eyes, he saw Katara smiling... laughing musically as she dragged his lovestruck body back into the entrance. Back into the noise and the dancing figures that moved freely by the upbeat rock of Jun's voice. Aang found himself dancing along with them, with the girl whose hairloops jumped wildly by the energy and her grace.

He was still an airbender, and he'd never felt more unbelievably free.

* * *

**Acknowledgments.:**

**Wow guys. Um... yeah, it's been one long, incredible ride. I'm seriously lost for words, and **_**exhausted. **_**But sooo so happy. But wow, it's amazing how a little idea and lot of fan-based nudging can create one helluva good story. I've never stayed so committed to a fanfic before, and it's honestly thanks to you guys and your constant enthusiasm that kept me going til the very end. **

**Well... kinda the very end. I initially planned to have this story go all the way into Aang's second semester at Praying Mantis... but let's be honest: Nobody wants absolute closure to a story – where's the fun in that? I mean, now that Katara's student body president, and Aang's her primary help for understanding the diverse student population... and all potential love interests are going off to seek bigger, better things (hah, did'ya catch that? These things don't just **_**happen!**_**)... there's no stopping them from getting much closer. So I decided to let you guys write second semester in your own imagination. Yayz!  
**

**I wish I could give major feedback to all the comments people made on my story... but... that might take me **_**another **_**year and a half. ^^ So instead, I'll thank you ALL from the bottom of my heart (with an extra dose of love to my friend Blum, and to **_**Katsumara **_**and **_**Summer Sweetheart**__**) **_**for your ongoing encouragement to make me a better writer. I guess if there's anything I could ask from you is to write a final review as a personal shout-out to the story: What did you like? Dislike? Did this story help you cope with life? Or inspire you to write anything yourself? Sorry... I'm a sucker for this kind of stuff, and any feedback helps a writer with future projects.  
**

**Speaking of which, for those of you curious about what I'm doing next... "Healing Sessions" will be updated now and then, but just to warn you it's Zutara-based and definitely will not exceed 10 chapters (I swear!). And I'm committing more time to my original series of fiction: "Hatchlings." Basically it's about a brother/sister pair of gargoyles who 'hatch' and are raised by a human custodian working in Chicago... and... that's all I'm gonna say. If you want a sample chapter, let me know via review! **

**Take care, everyone, and keep reading great fiction! **

–**MM**


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